lock, stock and barrel
everything
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
You might have some or all of these skills in-house, and need to bring in extra capacity or specialist experience now and again. Or you might prefer to outsource digital production to a specialist agency LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL.
(bizcommunity.com)
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Earlier this month, the owner of an electrical components factory in northern Italy waved his employees off on their summer holidays. Then, without informing them, he moved the entire operation, LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL, to Poland.
(The London Telegraph)
(bizcommunity.com)
---
Earlier this month, the owner of an electrical components factory in northern Italy waved his employees off on their summer holidays. Then, without informing them, he moved the entire operation, LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL, to Poland.
(The London Telegraph)
Did you
know?
lock, stock and barrel
idiom
- including all or every part of something
(Cambridge Dictionaries)
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While there are several theories, some rather fanciful, regarding the origin of the expression "lock, stock and barrel," the actual source is the musket rifle. These rifles were composed of three parts: the lock, stock and the barrel.
- The lock, or flintlock, is the firing mechanism. The term lock was probably adopted because the mechanism resembles a door lock.
- The stock is the wooden butt-end of the gun. Stock is an old term for wooden butt or stump and is a generic term for a solid base.
- The barrel is the metal cylindrical part of the rifle in which the musket ball is propelled through. It’s not clear why the word barrel was chosen to describe this component since a barrel is known to most people as a large container – fat in the middle – used for storing materials.
Since these three components are what constitute a rifle, the expression lock, stock and barrel became a metaphor for "everything."
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SYNONYMS
everything, the works, the whole enchilada, the whole shebang, the whole ball of wax, kit and caboodle,
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"He sold his house and possessions, lock, stock and barrel, and moved to Australia."
---
Thanks to Patricia for suggesting today's word!
idiom
- including all or every part of something
(Cambridge Dictionaries)
---
While there are several theories, some rather fanciful, regarding the origin of the expression "lock, stock and barrel," the actual source is the musket rifle. These rifles were composed of three parts: the lock, stock and the barrel.
- The lock, or flintlock, is the firing mechanism. The term lock was probably adopted because the mechanism resembles a door lock.
- The stock is the wooden butt-end of the gun. Stock is an old term for wooden butt or stump and is a generic term for a solid base.
- The barrel is the metal cylindrical part of the rifle in which the musket ball is propelled through. It’s not clear why the word barrel was chosen to describe this component since a barrel is known to most people as a large container – fat in the middle – used for storing materials.
Since these three components are what constitute a rifle, the expression lock, stock and barrel became a metaphor for "everything."
---
SYNONYMS
everything, the works, the whole enchilada, the whole shebang, the whole ball of wax, kit and caboodle,
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"He sold his house and possessions, lock, stock and barrel, and moved to Australia."
---
Thanks to Patricia for suggesting today's word!
