lock, stock, and barrel

Entirely or completely. Much to his wife's surprise, he cleaned out the basement, lock, stock, and barrel. When my son came home from his football game, he was so hungry that he ate everything in the refrigerator, lock, stock, and barrel.

ˌlock, stock and ˈbarrel

including everything; completely: They were all emigrating so they were selling everything they had, lock, stock and barrel.

The lock, stock and barrel are the three main parts of a rifle.

lock, stock, and barrel

The whole thing; all of something. Originally this term meant all three elements of a firearm—the lock or firing mechanism, the stock or handle, and the barrel or tube. It began to be transferred to the entirety of anything in the early nineteenth century, although for a time it was also put as stock, lock, and barrel. See also hook, line, and sinker.

See also: and, barrel

See also:

References in periodicals archive

Recognizing a need of churches for flexible seating in the worship space, the company entered the chair business after purchasing a British ply-bent chair manufacturer in 1971, which it moved lock, stock and barrel to Stryker, Ohio.

Sauder Manufacturing Co

16 post-premiere party for "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," the entire lock, stock and barrel included a 5,000-square-foot black tent made to resemble a warehouse filled with stolen TVs, a six-piece ska band playing in a boxing ring, a stuntman in a fire-retardant suit doing a "live burn," a golf driving range where the idea was to tee up on a mannequin's lips and aim at an upside-down suspended dummy (you had to see the movie), a drunken late-night rugby match between two cast members, and Madonna.

Opening salvo fired

Last week I posed a question from Mr Patterson, of Westmoor, Newcastle, who wanted to know why we say lock, stock and barrel when referring to buying a business?

An e-mailed response from John Preston of Northumberland arrived the next day saying: "Mr Westmoor starts with the wrong premise when he assumes the term lock, stock and barrel refers in part to a door lock and a business's stock of goods.

"Hence, to buy something lock, stock and barrel means to buy the whole thing."

Your questions answered?

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.