lockup

noun lock·up \ ˈläk-ˌəp \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of lockup

1 : jail; especially : a local jail where persons are detained prior to court hearing

2 : an act of locking : the state of being locked

See lockup defined for English-language learners

See lockup defined for kids

Examples of lockup in a Sentence

the firm conviction that juvenile offenders should never be held in adult lockups

Recent Examples of lockup from the Web

The blaze at the Valencia city police station’s lockup was reportedly sparked by prisoners setting mattresses alight in a jailbreak attempt.

— Time, "At Least 68 Dead as Riot and Fire Engulf a Venezuela Police Station," 29 Mar. 2018
In January, Walker got behind the idea of closing the prison and housing teen inmates at regional lockups.

— patrick marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Teen inmates stole manager's cellphone and made more than 600 calls over two weeks before they were discovered by Wisconsin officials," 28 Mar. 2018
Florida legislators, judges, state attorneys and public defenders will be able to make surprise inspections of juvenile detention lockups and residential programs under a bill that passed the Senate and was sent to the governor Wednesday.

— mary ellen klas, miamiherald, "Florida legislators pass bill to allow surprise inspections of juvenile lock-ups | Miami Herald," 7 Mar. 2018
Mendez is in custody in a federal lockup in Morrow County, Ohio, north of Columbus.

— mark curnutte, Cincinnati.com, "'We are not sure where Yancarlos will be tomorrow' as court lifts stay of deportation," 7 Feb. 2018
Five juvenile lockups remain today but are spread out in rural areas, which juvenile advocates say has made finding and retaining qualified officers difficult.

— paul j. weber, The Seattle Times, "Texas youth prison guards allegedly choked teen unconscious," 3 Feb. 2018
The office investigates noncriminal complaints of youth in the system and performs monthly visits and evaluations at each of the state’s five youth lockups.

— jolie mccullough, star-telegram, "Texas Juvenile Justice Department’s watchdog is latest to go in Abbott shake-up | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 30 Jan. 2018
Cell blocks for veterans are an increasingly common feature of state and county lockups as the criminal justice system focuses on troubled former service members.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "Jails increasingly set aside cellblocks for veterans," 10 Jan. 2018
Longtime Boone County Jailer Ed Prindle announced his retirement the morning of Feb. 28, passing keys to the 500-bed lockup to his successor at noon that day.

— nancy daly, Cincinnati.com, "Boone jailer leaves amid frustrations at criminal justice system," 28 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lockup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of lockup

1746

lockup Synonyms

LOCKUP Defined for English Language Learners

lockup

noun

Definition of lockup for English Language Learners

: a place where prisoners are kept
: a garage (sense 1) that is rented out

LOCKUP Defined for Kids

lockup

noun lock·up \ ˈläk-ˌəp \

Definition of lockup for Students

: prison

Law Dictionary

lockup

noun lock·up

legal Definition of lockup

1 : a cell or group of cells (as in a courthouse) or jail where persons are held prior to a court hearing — compare house of correction, house of detention, jail, penitentiary, prison

2 : the tactic of arranging with a friendly party an option to buy a valuable portion of one's corporate assets in order to discourage a takeover by another party