lockup

American  

[lok-uhp] / ˈlɒkˌʌp /

noun

1. a jail, especially a local one for temporary detention.

2. the act of locking up or the state of being locked up.

3. a temporary imprisonment or detention, as of suspects or prisoners.

4. a stock that has been held by an individual as a long-term investment, or that a brokerage firm is required by a regulation to hold for a certain period of time before it can be sold.

5. any investment or credit instrument, as a renewed loan, in which capital is tied up for a long time.

6. Printing.

   1. the entire body of type and cuts locked up in a chase preparatory to printing or platemaking.

   2. the act or procedure of locking up type and cuts in a chase.

7. Automotive. a sudden stopping of the rotation of a wheel.

8. British Informal. a rented locker, storage space, or garage.

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Etymology

Origin of lockup

First recorded in 1760–70; noun use of verb phrase lock up

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lockup

Usually, employees of startups can only cash out once a company is sold or goes public, potentially after a lockup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Most shares owned by insiders are subject to a complicated, staggered lockup schedule that allows certain amounts of stock to be released at a time.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

Brett Donnelly, founder of Spectra Markets, had also said the lockup expiration and its effects were “surely priced in.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

Underwriters mandate lockup periods, meaning it takes a minimum of six months, and often years, for the sponsor to fully sell down their shares.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

The cops had her back there in lockup right now with me and Ma waiting in this room out front.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

Related Words

• penitentiary