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lock, stock, and barrel

lock
L l

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [lok]
    • /lɒk/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [lok]
    • /lɒk/

Definitions of lock, stock, and barrel words

  • noun lock, stock, and barrel a device for securing a door, gate, lid, drawer, or the like in position when closed, consisting of a bolt or system of bolts propelled and withdrawn by a mechanism operated by a key, dial, etc. 1
  • noun lock, stock, and barrel a contrivance for fastening or securing something. 1
  • noun lock, stock, and barrel the mechanism that explodes the charge; gunlock. safety (def 4). 1
  • noun lock, stock, and barrel any device or part for stopping temporarily the motion of a mechanism. 1
  • noun lock, stock, and barrel an enclosed chamber in a canal, dam, etc., with gates at each end, for raising or lowering vessels from one level to another by admitting or releasing water. 1
  • noun lock, stock, and barrel an air lock or decompression chamber. 1
See all 28 definitions of lock, stock, and barrel

Information block about the term

Origin of lock, stock, and barrel

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English; Old English loc fastening, bar; cognate with Middle Low German lok, Old High German loh, Old Norse lok a cover, lid, Gothic -luk in usluk opening; akin to Old English lūcan to shut

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Lock, stock, and barrel

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Lock, stock, and barrel

lock, stock, and barrel popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

See also

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