lock (redirected from locked horns)

lock (someone or an animal) (up) in (something) and lock (someone or an animal) up

to fasten the opening to something so someone, a group, or an animal cannot get out. Take Chuck and lock him up in the cell. Lock up the killer and throw away the key!

lock someone or something away

to put someone or something away in a locked container or space. You will have to lock all the medications away when the grandchildren come to visit. They locked away some cash for a rainy day. They locked it away.

See also: away

lock someone or something out of something and lock someone or something out

to lock something to prevent someone or something from getting into it. Someone locked me out of my office. Who locked out the office staff this morning?

See also: out

lock someone or something up (somewhere)

to lock someone or something within something or some place. The captain ordered the sailor locked up in the brig until the ship got into port. Don't lock me up! The sheriff locked up the crook in a cell.

See also: up

lock something in

to make something, such as a rate of interest, permanent over a period of time. You should try to lock in a high percentage rate on your bonds. We locked in a very low rate on our mortgage.

lock something onto someone or something and lock something on

to attach or fix something onto someone or something. The cop locked the handcuffs onto the mugger and led him away. Andy locked his bicycle onto the signpost. See that bike rack? Lock your bike on and keep an eye on it.

lock horns (with someone)

Fig. to get into an argument with someone. Let's settle this peacefully. I don't want to lock horns with the boss. The boss doesn't want to lock horns either.

See also: horn

lock in on someone or something and lock on(to) someone or something

Fig. to fix some kind of electronic sensing device on someone or something. The enemy pilot was flying just ahead of us. Aiming the laser, we locked in on him and shot him down. We locked onto the satellite and got an excellent TV picture.

lock on (to someone or something)

to fasten or grab onto someone or something. She locked onto the child and wouldn't leave his side for an instant. I saw the thing 1wanted and locked on.

lock, stock, and barrel

Cliché everything. We had to move everything out of the house—lock, stock, and barrel. We lost everything—lock, stock, and barrel—in the fire.

See also: and, barrel

pick a lock

to open a lock without using a key. The robber picked the lock with a nail file. The thief picked the lock on the safe and stole the money.

See also: pick

Shut the stable door after the horse has bolted. and Lock the stable door after the horse is stolen.

Prov. To try to prevent something that has already happened; to act too late. When Ray heard that the bank had failed, he tried to withdraw his money, but there was no money to withdraw. He was shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted. Jenny has stopped smoking since the doctor told her that her lungs were in bad shape, but I'm afraid she's locking the stable door after the horse is stolen.

See also: after, bolt, door, has, horse, shut, stable

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lock horns

if two people lock horns, they argue about something (often + over ) The mayor and her deputy locked horns over the plans for the new road.

See also: horn

lock, stock, and barrel

including all or every part of something He's been pressing for the organization to move, lock, stock, and barrel, from Paris to Brussels.

See also: and, barrel

under lock and key 

1. kept safely in a room or container that is locked I tend to keep medicines under lock and key because of the kids.

2. in prison I think the feeling from the general public is that people like that should be kept under lock and key for the rest of their lives.

See also: and, key

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lock horns (with somebody)

to argue with someone in a very determined way In her new movie she plays a middle-aged college student who locks horns with her professor.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of two fighting animals such as deer whose horns lock together

See also: horn

lock in something also lock into something

to be unable to change a condition A large percentage of these groups remain locked in poverty. The two countries are locked in a dispute over the islands off the northern coast.

lock, stock, and barrel

taking or including everything The soldiers received orders that they were to move, lock, stock and barrel, some 600 miles west.

See also: and, barrel

under lock and key

in a safe, protected place The old man keeps such documents under lock and key.

See also: and, key