lock, stock, and barrel

Idioms & Phrases

lock, stock, and barrel

The entirety; all of something. For example, Jean moved out of the house, lock, stock, and barrel. This expression alludes to the three elements of a firearmthe lock or firing mechanism, the stock or handle, and the barrel or tube. [Early 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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