Lock-up

sb. (a.). [f. LOCK v.¹ + UP adv.]

  1.  The action of locking up, in various senses.

  a.  The action of locking up a school, etc., for the night; also, the time at which this is done.

1871.  Routledge’s Ev. Boy’s Ann., March, 148. During the long winter’s evenings, after Lock-up.

1890.  M. Williams, Leaves Life, I. 16. One of the amusements of the Lower boys was, after ‘lock up,’ to be perpetually ringing old Plumptree’s bell and running away.

  b.  The action of ‘locking up’ capital, or investing it so that it cannot be quickly realized; an instance of this. Also, an amount so ‘locked up.’

1866.  Crump, Banking, xi. 246. The banker continues to throw good money after bad, the termination of which … is an indefinite lock-up.

1889.  Spectator, 9 March. This means a ‘lock-up’ of nine millions sterling.

1893.  Westm. Gaz., 5 April, 6/3. To distinguish between bills and mortgages—between liquid assets and lock-ups. Ibid. (1900), 30 May, 9/3. Those who buy such shares as a ‘lock-up’ may possibly be able to sell them at much higher prices.

  2.  (Short for lock-up house or room: see 4.) An apartment or building that can be locked up.

  a.  gen.

1890.  Daily News, 17 Feb., 3/4. No. 126 was what builders call the ‘lock up.’ Tools, screws, door handles, etc., were stored in the middle room on the first floor, the door of which was kept locked.

  b.  A house or room for the detention (usually temporary) of offenders.

1859.  Jephson, Brittany, ix. 141. Lodge me in the lock-up for the night.

1865.  J. Cameron, Malayan India, 267. In ten days from the commencement of the riot 600 prisoners were accumulated in the lock-ups of the central police station.

1891.  Barrie, Little Minister (1892), 65. Gavin was with the families whose breadwinners were now in the lock-up.

  3.  An official who locks up a building for the night.

1893.  H. Le Caron, 25 Years Secret Service (ed. 15), 165. Breslin, who was chief hospital warden, and Byrne, who was night-watchman and ‘lock-up,’ were armed with two revolvers each.

  4.  attrib. passing into adj., with the sense ‘capable of being locked up’; as lock-up coach-house, line (of business), place, room, shed; lock-up house, a house of detention, spec. (see quot. 1785); lock-up shop, a detached apartment used as a shop and locked up at night.

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xxxv. Choice stabling, and a *lock-up coach-house.

1767.  Chron., in Ann. Reg., 60/2. The office keeper … found it to be a *lock-up house for recruits. Ibid. (1772), *72. The detestable practices carried on by kidnappers … in what are called lock-up houses.

1785.  Grose, Dict. Vulgar Tongue, Lock up house, a spunging house … also houses kept by agents or crimps, who inlist or rather trepan men to serve the East India, or African Company as soldiers.

1804.  Europ. Mag., XLV. 332, note. Coleman-street … had in it … a Magistrate … and a lock-up house.

1851.  Thackeray, Eng. Hum., iii. (1876), 246. He was in hiding, or worse than in hiding, in the lock-up house.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., xiii. There is not a man … could be of sae muckle use … in the … *lock-up line of business.

1809.  Malkin, Gil Blas, VI. i. ¶ 15. He … opened all his *lock-up places.

1823.  Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1825), I. 171. The Magistrate … was surprised to see such a figure brought out from amongst the filthy wretches … of the *lock-up room.

1880.  Daily News, 7 Oct., 4/1. Dry and clean separate lock-up rooms.

1812.  Col. Hawker, Diary (1893), I. 54. They are under a *lock-up shed.

1897.  Daily News, 1 Dec., 3/5. The building is a *lock-up shop which was closed at about 6.30 last evening.