A Lockup Is a Cell, a Garage or a Shop
A lockup is a place that can be locked. British English uses it for a small garage or a shop without living quarters.
A lockup is a place that locks. British usage covers more ground than people expect: a lockup can be a police cell, a rented garage, or a *lockup shop* — commercial premises with no accommodation attached, which mattered when most shopkeepers lived above the shop. Finance adds another sense: a lockup period restricts selling shares.
- A jail cell. *Held in the lockup.*
- A rented garage. *A lockup on the estate.*
- A shop without living quarters. *A lockup shop.*
- A share restriction. *A six-month lockup.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lockup | A brick lockup. |
| Plural | lockups | Two lockups. |
| Phrasal verb | lock up | Lock up at night. |
| Related | cell | A police cell. |
| Related | garage | A rented garage. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He rents a lockup for his tools.British: a garage.
- A lockup shop has no flat above.Commercial property.
- The lockup period expires next month.Finance.
Senses of *lock up*
- Secure a building — lock up for the night
- Imprison — locked up for years
- Tie up capital — money locked up in property
- Restrict share sales — a post-flotation lockup
- Seize — an engine can lock up
From the phrasal verb *lock up*, from *lock*, Old English *loc*, a fastening or enclosure.
What is a lockup shop?
Commercial premises with no living accommodation attached, a distinction that mattered when shopkeepers typically lived on site.
What is a share lockup?
A period after a company floats during which insiders are barred from selling their shares, to prevent a sudden collapse in the price.