under lock and key

un·der lock and key

U u

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [uhn-der lok and kee]
- /ˈʌn dər lɒk ænd ki/
- /ˈʌndə(r) lɒk ənd kiː/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [uhn-der lok and kee]
- /ˈʌn dər lɒk ænd ki/

Definitions of under lock and key words

noun under lock and key 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a door, gate, lid, drawer, or the like in position when closed, consisting of a bolt or system of bolts propelled and withdrawn by a mechanism operated by a key, dial, etc. 1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 under lock and key a contrivance for fastening or securing something. 1
noun under lock and key the mechanism that explodes the charge; gunlock. safety (def 4). 1
noun under lock and key any device or part for stopping temporarily the motion of a mechanism. 1
noun under lock and key 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 under lock and key an air lock or decompression chamber. 1

See all 31 definitions of under lock and key

Information block about the term

Origin of under lock and key

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 Under lock and key

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Under lock and key

under lock and key 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".

under lock and key usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for under lock and key

verb under lock and key

behind bars — If you say that someone is behind bars, you mean that they are in prison.
confined — If something is confined to a particular place, it exists only in that place. If it is confined to a particular group, only members of that group have it.
gaoled — to take into or hold in lawful custody; imprison.
imprisoned — to confine in or as if in a prison.
jailed — Simple past tense and past participle of jail.

adj under lock and key

captive — A captive person or animal is being kept imprisoned or enclosed.
home free — a house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household.

adjective under lock and key

enslaved — Simple past tense and past participle of enslave.
ensnared — Simple past tense and past participle of ensnare.
incarcerated — to imprison; confine.
maintained — to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain: to maintain good relations with neighboring countries.

All 11 Synonyms of under lock and key

Matching words

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