lock, stock, and barrel

Cultural  

1. The whole of anything: “Our new manager wants to reorganize the entire operation, lock, stock, and barrel.” The lock, stock, and barrel are the three parts of a rifle.

---

lock, stock, and barrel Idioms  

1. The entirety; all of something. For example, Jean moved out of the house, lock, stock, and barrel. This expression alludes to the three elements of a firearm—the lock or firing mechanism, the stock or handle, and the barrel or tube. [Early 1800s]

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lock, stock, and barrel

“The larger schools in the larger towns and cities just bought that lock, stock and barrel, and they ended their programs.”

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 12, 2024

Kennedy’s previous claims otherwise were clearly a total fiction that the court bought lock, stock, and barrel.

From Slate ● Sep. 7, 2023

That year the Communist Party decreed China's state-owned housing stock be sold off, lock, stock and barrel.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2022

Ducey's team took it over lock, stock and barrel.

From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2021

‘Christamighty! I wouldn’t park myself behind that cash box if you was to give me the whole damn place, lock, stock, and barrel.’

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

Related Words

• all-inclusive
• broad
• complete
• encyclopedic
• exhaustive
• extensive
• far-reaching
• full
• global
• overall
• sweeping
• thorough