lock away
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle away
Meanings
Secure inside something locked
Why “away”? You put something away so you can use it later.
“He locked the documents away in a safe.”
“She locked the jewellery away in a drawer.”
Don't confuse with
Lock away means secure inside something locked. Lock in means confine by locking.
Test yourself
“He locked the documents away in a safe.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
lock in
A contrast learners often mix up
Confine by locking; Make fixed or agreed; Focus fully without interruption
file away
Same away pattern: storage
Store in an organised system
hide away
Same away pattern: storage
Hide in an out-of-the-way place
put away
Same away pattern: storage
Return something to its proper place; Save money for later; Send someone to prison or a mental hospital; Save money for the future
salt away
Same away pattern: storage
Save money discreetly for the future
squirrel away
Same away pattern: storage
Save bit by bit, hidden away
stash away
Same away pattern: storage
Hide something in a safe place
store away
Same away pattern: storage
Keep in storage for the future
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