Idiom
Lock, stock and barrel
Lock, stock and barrel means completely, including every part of something.
How people use it
People use it with verbs like buy, sell, move and take over: "They sold the farm lock, stock and barrel." It stresses that nothing was left out. The tone is informal to neutral. In American writing it is often punctuated with a final comma, "lock, stock, and barrel," while others leave that comma out; both are fine. It usually describes possessions, businesses or moves, not feelings.
Also said: lock, stock, and barrel.
Examples
- They moved the bakery, lock, stock and barrel, to a bigger building.
- My aunt bought the old cabin lock, stock and barrel, furniture included.
- The new owners took over the soccer club lock, stock and barrel.
Where it comes from
The phrase names the three main parts of an old musket: the lock, which is the firing mechanism, the stock, which is the wooden body, and the barrel. Having all three meant you had the whole thing. The figurative sense of everything, entirely, is recorded in the early 1800s.
Check yourself
1. If a family moves lock, stock and barrel, what do they take?
Answer: Everything they own. Lock, stock and barrel means completely, every part.
2. Where does the phrase come from?
Answer: The parts of an old gun. Lock, stock and barrel are the three main parts of a musket.
Similar idioms
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