lockdown

American  

[lok-doun] / ˈlɒkˌdaʊn /

noun

1. the confining of prisoners to their cells, as following a riot or other disturbance.

   The prison lockdown continues, more than three weeks after the death of a guard.

2. a security measure taken during an emergency to prevent people from leaving or entering a building or other location: The governor implemented a statewide lockdown to slow the spread of the virus—residents may not leave their homes for nonessential activities.

   The school remains under lockdown due to police activity in the area.

   The governor implemented a statewide lockdown to slow the spread of the virus—residents may not leave their homes for nonessential activities.

   The army base was on lockdown after a report of shots fired.

3. a freeze or pause.

   Banks aren’t lending during this credit lockdown.

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lockdown British  

/ ˈlɒkˌdəʊn /

noun

1. a security measure in which those inside a building such as a prison, school, or hospital are required to remain confined in it for a time

   many schools remained under lockdown yesterday

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Etymology

Origin of lockdown

First recorded in 1970–75; lock ¹ + -down, probably extracted from nouns formed from phrasal verbs, such as crackdown, shutdown, etc.

Example Sentences

He tricked her into thinking she could be arrested for breaking Covid lockdown rules as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham.

From BBC

While all of this was playing out, Burden was isolated, unable to access her support system during lockdown.

From Los Angeles Times

Like many, Huw got his first dog - a black Labrador named Clyde - in lockdown, and describes him as a "symbol of home" that also became the symbol of his business.

From BBC

"Obviously, the world came out of lockdowns, but for me it feels like I'm still in a lockdown," she said.

From BBC

It said that lockdown might have been avoided if voluntary steps such as social distancing and isolation had been brought in earlier than 16 March 2020.

From BBC