Definition
The institutional equivalent of everyone getting sent to their rooms without dinner, whether it's students confined to classrooms during a threat, prisoners locked in cells after a disturbance, or entire populations quarantined during a pandemic. Essentially turns freedom of movement into a nostalgic memory until authorities decide the coast is clear. The ultimate "you can't fire me, I quit" of security measures—nobody gets to leave until we say so.
Example Usage
The school went into lockdown after someone spotted a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot, leaving 800 teenagers to stress-tweet from their classrooms.
Source: Common security and public health terminology
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “lockdown” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
Try the Translator