lockup
B2Neutral to informal in general contexts; formal in legal or financial contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A place where people are detained, typically a jail or prison.
In finance, a period during which certain shareholders are prohibited from selling their shares after an initial public offering (IPO).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies temporary or short-term detention; can also refer to the act of locking something up securely.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'lockup' often refers to a small local jail or a garage for vehicles. In American English, it is commonly used for jail or prison, and also in financial contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, it can have negative connotations associated with crime and punishment.
Frequency
More frequently used in American English in financial contexts; equally common in both for criminal justice references.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be in lockupput in lockuphold in lockupVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “lockup period”
- “lockup provision”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the lockup period in IPOs where insiders cannot sell shares.
Academic
Used in criminology and law to discuss detention facilities.
Everyday
Commonly refers to jail or a place where someone is locked up.
Technical
In finance, specific to share restrictions; in computing, can refer to system lockups, but that is usually 'lock-up'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The system might lockup under heavy load.
American English
- My phone locked up yesterday.
adjective
British English
- They discussed the lockup agreement.
American English
- The lockup period is standard in IPOs.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He was put in lockup for the night.
- The police took him to the local lockup.
- After the IPO, there is a lockup period of six months.
- The lockup provision in the agreement prevents early sale of shares.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'lock up' – when you lock up a person, they go to a lockup.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINMENT AS PUNISHMENT OR SECURITY
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'lock' (замок) or 'up' (вверх). 'Lockup' is a noun meaning тюрьма or место заключения.
- Avoid translating literally as 'блокировка вверх'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'lockup' as a verb; correct is 'lock up'.
- Confusing 'lockup' with 'lockout'.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'lockup' typically refer to in finance?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in everyday usage, but 'lockup' often implies a smaller or temporary facility.
No, the verb form is 'lock up'. 'Lockup' as a verb is non-standard and informal.
In finance, it is a time after an IPO when insiders are restricted from selling shares.
In British English, /ˈlɒk.ʌp/; in American English, /ˈlɑːk.ʌp/.
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