noun
lockup
noun
1
A jail cell, or a short spell locked up in one.
"He spent the night in the local lockup after the fight."
"The suspect was held in the lockup pending questioning."
2
A small lockable storage unit or garage.
"She keeps the motorbike in a rented lockup near the station."
3
A moment when a vehicle's wheels suddenly stop turning because the brakes have been slammed on, causing a skid.
"The car went into a lockup on the wet road and slid into the barrier."
4
A situation where a computer or system freezes and stops responding.
"The app suffered a lockup and had to be force-quit."
How to Use Lockup
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA place where someone or something is locked away — a cell, a small garage, or (more loosely) a system freeze or a sudden wheel-skid.
Common mistake
Don't confuse "lockup" (the noun) with the phrasal verb "lock up" (to lock up a building).
Common pairings
thrown in the lockup
rent a lockup
brake lockup
Word Forms
lockups plural
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He spent the night in the local _____ after the fight.