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

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

From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2021

As Blanc had always intended, they were guns: lock, stock, and barrel.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2019

We sold the zoo, lock, stock and barrel.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

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

---