lock up meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

lock up

verb

/ˌlɒk ˈʌp/

Etymology lock + up

15 senses

To imprison or incarcerate (someone).

In 1970, a new era of "getting tough" on young offenders really began to gather momentum with the incoming Conservative government. The number of juveniles locked up each year increased by 500% between 1965 and 1980.2020 July 23, Chris Daw, “'A stain on national life': why are we locking up so many children?'”, in The Guardian:

To put (something) away in a locked location for safekeeping; (occasionally, chiefly humorously) to sequester (a person) in a similar way.

Please lock up all valuables in the safe before leaving.
Angus is back in town! Better lock up your daughters, your wife, and your sheep!

To close (and often lock) all doors and windows (of a place) securely.

To lock (a door, window, etc.).

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To cease responding.

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To cause (a program) to cease responding or to freeze.

If your password contains a particular string of letters, entering it can lock up the login form.

Engineering, Mechanical engineering, Mechanics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences To stop moving; to seize.

Engineering, Mechanical engineering, Mechanics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Of a wheel To stop spinning due to excessive braking torque.

Due to the engines-out condition, the landing was conducted without the brake antiskid and normal breaking^([sic]) systems. Because the emergency brake accumulator only provides for a limited amount of brake applications, full braking was applied and retained at the second touch down, resulting in the main wheels locking up. The tires quickly abraded and deflated at a point between about 300 and 450 feet beyond the second and final touch down.2004 October 18, Gabinete de Prevenção e Investigação de Acidentes com Aeronaves, “1.3 Damage to Aircraft”, in Accident Investigation Final Report: All Engines-out Landing Due to Fuel Exhaustion, Air Transat Airbus A330-243 marks C-GITS, Lajes, Azores, Portugal, 24 August 2001, archived from the original on 30 Oct 2022, page 11:

To lose one's forward momentum; to freeze.

Hobbies, Lifestyle, Motor racing, Racing, Sports To (mistakenly) cause or have one of one's wheels to lock up (stop spinning).

Twelve laps later, Leclerc locked up at the first chicane and clattered over the run-off area. Again, Hamilton got a run on him, and this time Leclerc defended robustly through the flat-out Curva Grande, moving very late to block Hamilton to the Ferrari's left.2019 September 8, Andrew Benson, BBC Sport:

To invest in something long term.

To travel through a flight of locks on a waterway in an uphill direction.

Media, Printing, Publishing Obsolete To fasten quoins securely with a mallet and a shooting-stick.

Slang To assure success in or control of (something).

To enter a state of mechanical alignment.

You will roll the second tape for about 15 seconds until the tape "locks up" with house sync.1994, Carl Hausman, Philip J. Palombo, Modern Video Production: Tools, Techniques, Applications (page 148)