lockdown
lock-down · noun
Definitions
noun
- 1.
A state of isolation or restricted access instituted as a security measure.
- 2.
A strict measure requiring people to stay indoors, typically during a public health crisis.
Forms
plural: lockdowns
Phrases & expressions
- •go into lockdown — to enter a state of restricted movement
- •lift the lockdown — to end restrictions
- •lockdown measures — rules enforced during a lockdown
Related words
Etymology
From English compound lock + down, originally a prison term from the 1970s for confining inmates to their cells. The term gained widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic.