lock-step
UK[ˈlɒk step]US[ˈlɑːk step]
n
A way of marching in which soldiers walk as close together as possible, with their legs moving at exactly the same time
n
A situation in which two or more things or people are so closely connected or dependent that they must change or act together at the same time and in the same way
Morpheme Breakdown
lock
step
lock
a fastening, enclosure.
step
an act of stepping, a footstep.
Etymology
The term "lock-step" originated in the early 19th century as a military drill term. It describes a marching style where soldiers move in such close unison that their steps become mechanically synchronized and interlocked, as if fastened together. The literal image of steps being "locked" together evolved into a powerful metaphor for any rigid, inflexible synchronization where separate entities move or change in perfect, unquestioning tandem. This evolution from a specific physical drill to an abstract concept for tight coordination illustrates how compound words can encapsulate both a concrete practice and its broader logical principle.
Analysis
Structure: lock + step
- lock: From Old English loc, meaning "a fastening, enclosure." In this compound, it conveys the sense of being fixed, joined, or rigidly connected.
- step: From Old English stæpe, stepe, meaning "an act of stepping, a footstep." In this compound, it refers to the physical movement of walking or marching.
Examples
The prisoners were forced to march in lock-step back to their cells.
The two companies' research and development cycles moved in lock-step for years.
She refused to follow the party's ideology in lock-step, preferring independent thought.