lockdown
pronunciation
How to pronounce lockdown in British English:
UK 
How to pronounce lockdown in American English:
US
-
- Noun:
- the act of confining prisoners to their cells (usually to regain control during a riot)
Word Origin
- lockdown (n.)
- also lock-down, from 1940s in various mechanical senses, from lock (v.) + down (adv.). Prison sense is by 1975, American English.
Example
- 1. In the meantime , iraq has gone into a security lockdown .
- 2. Only way to stop count is a lockdown .
- 3. As for lockdown or surveillance technologies , forget it .
- 4. By day , tripoli is effectively in a security lockdown and there are no outright signs of protest or dissent .
- 5. We 've been in lockdown mode ever since .