To impose strict restrictions on movement or access to a place, especially for security or public health reasons.
To put a place under tight control so people cannot freely enter or leave.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To impose strict restrictions on movement into, out of, or within a place for security or health reasons.
"The authorities locked down the city centre after the bomb threat was called in."
We went into lockdown. We had no choice.
— Boris Johnson, national address regarding COVID-19, March 23, 2020
To secure a building or institution by preventing anyone from entering or leaving during a threat.
"The school was locked down for two hours while police searched the area."
To restrict the settings or functions of a device so users cannot change them.
"The IT department locked down the laptops so staff couldn't install personal software."
To lock a place so firmly that movement is pressed down to a halt — 'down' implies total restriction.
To put a place under tight control so people cannot freely enter or leave.
The noun 'lockdown' became globally prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Also used in security contexts (school lockdown, prison lockdown). In computing, to 'lock down' a device means to restrict its software settings.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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