Lock stock and barrel

Definitions

• entirety
  Refers to the entirety of something, including all its parts or aspects

• complete ownership
  Refers to complete ownership or control of something

Examples of Lock stock and barrel

• The company was acquired lock, stock, and barrel by a larger competitor.

  This idiom is used to mean that everything, including the assets, liabilities, and ownership structure, was transferred or sold to the new owner completely and fully. It signifies that nothing was left behind or excluded from the deal.

• John's successful business ventures have been handed down lock, stock, and barrel to his children.

  This idiom is used to depict that a person's entire business, including its assets, properties, and capital, has been passed down to the heirs completely and with no omission.

• The family's belongings were confiscated lock, stock, and barrel during the raid.

  This idiom illustrates that all the possessions, including furniture, electrical appliances, and personal effects, were taken away forcefully and completely during the raid or robbery.

• The spy was captured lock, stock, and barrel during the operation.

  This idiom portrays that the suspect was apprehended entirely and completely, i.e., along with all their belongings, weaponry, and collaborators, during the mission or operation.

• The company was acquired lock, stock, and barrel, meaning that all its assets, including its inventory and equipment, were included in the sale.

  The idiom "lock, stock, and barrel" refers to a complete and total acquisition or transfer of ownership, where all aspects of the item or company being acquired are included. This phrase came from the old English tradition of hunting, where lock referred to the gun, stock was the wooden part of the gun, and barrel was the metal tube where the shot was propelled. Together, lock, stock, and barrel represented the entire firearm.

• After the merger, the two companies joined lock stock and barrel, creating a single entity with vastly expanded resources and capabilities.

  To "join lock, stock, and barrel" is to merge completely, with all assets and resources coming together as a single entity.

• The CEO announced that they were making an offer to buy the company lock stock and barrel, signaling their intent to acquire all assets and take full ownership.

  When someone makes an offer to buy "lock, stock, and barrel," they are offering to purchase the entire company, including all of its assets and resources.

• The business was sold lock stock and barrel to a competitor as part of a strategic move to restructure the industry.

  When a company is sold "lock, stock, and barrel," it is being sold completely, with no exceptions or partial ownerships. This is often done as part of a larger industry restructuring or consolidation.

Conclusion

The idiom "lock, stock, and barrel" is used to indicate the entirety of something, including all its parts or aspects, or to refer to complete ownership or control of something. It is often used to emphasize the completeness or totality of a situation or ownership.

Origin of "Lock stock and barrel"

The origin of the idiom "lock, stock, and barrel" dates back to the 19th century and is derived from the terminology used in the context of firearms. In this context, "lock" referred to the firing mechanism, "stock" referred to the wooden part of the gun held against the shoulder, and "barrel" referred to the metal tube through which the bullet is fired. When someone purchased a firearm, they would acquire the "lock, stock, and barrel," signifying the entirety of the weapon.

Over time, the idiom's usage expanded beyond the realm of firearms to represent the entirety of something, including all its components or aspects. It also came to symbolize complete ownership or control of something. The idiom is now commonly used in everyday language to convey the sense of completeness or entirety.