“lock away”是一个及物动词短语,核心含义是“通过上锁或隐藏的方式使某物/人处于安全、无法轻易获取的状态”,具体用法可分为三类:
最常见的用法,强调“把东西存放在上锁的安全空间(如保险柜、抽屉)”,避免被偷或意外使用。
例子:She locked away her diamond necklace in the basement safe before traveling.(她旅行前把钻石项链锁在地下室的保险柜里。)
Please lock away the medicine—kids might get into it.(请把药锁好,孩子们可能会拿到。)
引申为“压抑、封存”抽象的情绪或记忆,不让他人察觉或自己触碰。
例子:He locked away his grief after his mother’s death and never talked about it.(母亲去世后,他压抑住悲伤,从未提及。)
She’s been locking away her fear of failure for years.(她多年来一直隐藏着对失败的恐惧。)
口语或正式语境中均可使用,强调“长期限制自由”(类似“put in prison”)。
例子:The robber was locked away for 10 years for armed theft.(那个抢劫犯因持械盗窃被关押10年。)
Serial killers are often locked away for life.(连环杀手通常会被终身监禁。)
1、 结构:通常是 lock away + 宾语(或 lock + 宾语 + away,宾语为代词时需放在中间,如“lock it away”)。
正确:Lock away your valuables. / Lock your valuables away.
正确(代词):I’ll lock it away in the closet.(我会把它锁在衣柜里。)
2、 被动语态:常见“sth be locked away”(某物被锁起/隐藏)。
The old letters were locked away in a box for decades.(这些旧信被锁在盒子里几十年。)
3、 搭配:常与表示“安全空间”(in a safe/box/drawer)、“时间”(for years/life)或“抽象事物”(emotions/memories/fear)的词连用。
lock up:更强调“临时锁闭”(如锁门、锁车),或“短期监禁”;而“lock away”更侧重“长期隐藏/安全存放”或“终身监禁”。
Lock up the house before you leave.(出门前锁好房子。)(临时)
Lock away the family heirlooms.(把传家宝锁好藏起来。)(长期安全)
总结:“lock away”的核心是“通过锁/藏实现‘隔离保护’”,可用于具体物品、抽象情感或犯人,是日常和正式语境都常用的短语。