lockup
|lock/up|
🇺🇸
/ˈlɑːkˌʌp/
🇬🇧
/ˈlɒkˌʌp/
secure confinement
Etymology
'lockup' originates from Middle English, specifically the words 'lock' and 'up', where 'lock' meant 'to fasten' and 'up' indicated 'enclosure'.
'lock' and 'up' combined in Middle English to form 'lockup', eventually becoming the modern English word 'lockup'.
Initially, it meant 'to fasten something securely', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a place of detention'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a place where people are kept in custody, especially a small jail.
The suspect was taken to the local lockup for questioning.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a period during which a person is held in custody.
He spent the night in lockup after the arrest.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45