"Sherlock" meaning in English

See Sherlock in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proper name

IPA: /ˈʃɜɹ.lɒk/ Audio: En-au-Sherlock.ogg [Australia] Forms: Sherlocks [plural]
Etymology: Supposedly from an Old English scir-lock (“bright-lock”). One of a group of surnames originally denoting hair colour, parallel to Blacklock, Harlock (Old English har (“grey”)), Silverlock. In the computing verb sense, refers to the software Sherlock, which in 2002 came to replicate some of the features of an earlier complementary program called Watson. Etymology templates: {{der|en|ang|scir-lock||bright-lock}} Old English scir-lock (“bright-lock”), {{noncog|ang|har||grey}} Old English har (“grey”) Head templates: {{en-proper noun|s}} Sherlock (plural Sherlocks)
  1. An English surname transferred from the nickname. Categories (topical): Apple Inc.
    Sense id: en-Sherlock-en-name-pCEtLbAw Disambiguation of Apple Inc.: 20 27 18 4 8 22 Categories (other): English surnames, English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 29 24 28 2 5 13 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 35 23 21 2 5 14
  2. A male given name transferred from the surname, of rare usage. Categories (topical): English given names, English male given names, Apple Inc.
    Sense id: en-Sherlock-en-name-W~exFwyy Disambiguation of Apple Inc.: 20 27 18 4 8 22 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 29 24 28 2 5 13 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 28 38 19 1 3 10
  3. (humorous) A detective (from Sherlock Holmes), especially used sarcastically to address somebody who has stated the obvious. Tags: humorous Categories (topical): Apple Inc., Fictional characters, Sherlock Holmes Derived forms: no shit, Sherlock, Sherlocked, Sherlockian, Sherlockish, Sherlocky, Sherly
    Sense id: en-Sherlock-en-name-ZHNwBJrK Disambiguation of Apple Inc.: 20 27 18 4 8 22 Disambiguation of Fictional characters: 8 21 60 2 3 6 Disambiguation of Sherlock Holmes: 6 15 75 0 1 2 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 29 24 28 2 5 13

Verb

IPA: /ˈʃɜɹ.lɒk/ Audio: En-au-Sherlock.ogg [Australia] Forms: Sherlocks [present, singular, third-person], Sherlocking [participle, present], Sherlocked [participle, past], Sherlocked [past]
Etymology: Supposedly from an Old English scir-lock (“bright-lock”). One of a group of surnames originally denoting hair colour, parallel to Blacklock, Harlock (Old English har (“grey”)), Silverlock. In the computing verb sense, refers to the software Sherlock, which in 2002 came to replicate some of the features of an earlier complementary program called Watson. Etymology templates: {{der|en|ang|scir-lock||bright-lock}} Old English scir-lock (“bright-lock”), {{noncog|ang|har||grey}} Old English har (“grey”) Head templates: {{en-verb}} Sherlock (third-person singular simple present Sherlocks, present participle Sherlocking, simple past and past participle Sherlocked)
  1. (informal) To deduce. Tags: informal Synonyms: figure out, solve
    Sense id: en-Sherlock-en-verb-9EWyXAOn
  2. (informal) To search. Tags: informal Synonyms: hunt, seek
    Sense id: en-Sherlock-en-verb-jBwTAH3N
  3. (computing slang) To obsolete a unique feature in third-party software by introducing a similar or identical feature to the OS or a first-party program/app. Tags: slang Categories (topical): Computing, Apple Inc.
    Sense id: en-Sherlock-en-verb-JLj~qibU Disambiguation of Apple Inc.: 20 27 18 4 8 22 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 29 24 28 2 5 13 Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for Sherlock meaning in English (10.9kB)

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          "ref": "1908, The Blue and Gold, volume 35, page 52",
          "text": "That afternoon when the boys were in the field Mr. Frickstad sherlocked around in the tents and under the cots looking for a missing rocking-chair.",
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          "ref": "1917, The National Provisioner, Volume 56, Part 1, page 33",
          "text": "It is reported that Governor McCall will also appoint a committee to investigate the high cost of living, but in the meantime individual investigators have Sherlocked around and their stories would make DeQuincy's Life of an Opium Eater fade into insignificance.",
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          "ref": "1919, Theatre Magazine, volumes 29-30, page 24",
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          "ref": "2012 July 13, “You've been sherlocked”, in The Economist",
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          "ref": "2013 October 28, Alex Hern, “Sherlocked: how Mavericks is making some apps obsolete”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "All three developers are in a position common enough that it even has a name in the community. They have been \"sherlocked\".",
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          "ref": "2014 June 3, Javed Anwer, “WhatsApp CEO mocks Apple for copying features”, in The Times of India",
          "text": "Last year, when Apple released iOS 7 it added a feature to the Photo app, allowing users to sort photos on the basis of location and date. Photoworks, a third-party app, too offered same functionality. In response, app developer Stephen Orth tweeted, \"I guess my new app just got sherlocked.\"",
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    "en:Fictional characters",
    "en:Sherlock Holmes"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "scir-lock",
        "4": "",
        "5": "bright-lock"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English scir-lock (“bright-lock”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "har",
        "3": "",
        "4": "grey"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English har (“grey”)",
      "name": "noncog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Supposedly from an Old English scir-lock (“bright-lock”).\nOne of a group of surnames originally denoting hair colour, parallel to Blacklock, Harlock (Old English har (“grey”)), Silverlock.\nIn the computing verb sense, refers to the software Sherlock, which in 2002 came to replicate some of the features of an earlier complementary program called Watson.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Sherlocks",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Sherlocking",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Sherlocked",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Sherlocked",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Sherlock (third-person singular simple present Sherlocks, present participle Sherlocking, simple past and past participle Sherlocked)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "Sher‧lock"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1921, Eleanor Hallowell Abbott, Rainy Week, E. P Dutton (1921), page 77",
          "text": "\"Anybody could have Sherlocked at a glance,\" sniffed young Kennilworth, \"that it had been packed by a crazy person!\""
        },
        {
          "ref": "1921, C. N. Williamson, A. M. Williamson, The Brightener, Doubleday, page 274",
          "text": "But almost at once I told myself that I ought to have Sherlocked the truth the moment this troubled, beautiful being had appeared on deck.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1997, Bharati Mukherjee, Leave It to Me, Fawcett Columbine, published 1997",
          "text": "He wasn't crew, and he wasn't talent. I Sherlocked that from his clothes: […]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To deduce."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "deduce",
          "deduce"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) To deduce."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "figure out"
        },
        {
          "word": "solve"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1908, The Blue and Gold, volume 35, page 52",
          "text": "That afternoon when the boys were in the field Mr. Frickstad sherlocked around in the tents and under the cots looking for a missing rocking-chair.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1917, The National Provisioner, Volume 56, Part 1, page 33",
          "text": "It is reported that Governor McCall will also appoint a committee to investigate the high cost of living, but in the meantime individual investigators have Sherlocked around and their stories would make DeQuincy's Life of an Opium Eater fade into insignificance.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1919, Theatre Magazine, volumes 29-30, page 24",
          "text": "Mlle. Belge's eyes Sherlocked over her chorus until it matched up those curls.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To search."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "search",
          "search"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) To search."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "hunt"
        },
        {
          "word": "seek"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "en:Computing"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012 July 13, “You've been sherlocked”, in The Economist",
          "text": "The thing software developers fear most is being \"sherlocked\".",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 28, Alex Hern, “Sherlocked: how Mavericks is making some apps obsolete”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "All three developers are in a position common enough that it even has a name in the community. They have been \"sherlocked\".",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014 June 3, Javed Anwer, “WhatsApp CEO mocks Apple for copying features”, in The Times of India",
          "text": "Last year, when Apple released iOS 7 it added a feature to the Photo app, allowing users to sort photos on the basis of location and date. Photoworks, a third-party app, too offered same functionality. In response, app developer Stephen Orth tweeted, \"I guess my new app just got sherlocked.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To obsolete a unique feature in third-party software by introducing a similar or identical feature to the OS or a first-party program/app."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "obsolete",
          "obsolete"
        ],
        [
          "third-party",
          "third-party"
        ],
        [
          "software",
          "software"
        ],
        [
          "OS",
          "OS"
        ],
        [
          "first-party",
          "first-party"
        ],
        [
          "program",
          "program"
        ],
        [
          "app",
          "app"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(computing slang) To obsolete a unique feature in third-party software by introducing a similar or identical feature to the OS or a first-party program/app."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈʃɜɹ.lɒk/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-Sherlock.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/dd/En-au-Sherlock.ogg/En-au-Sherlock.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/En-au-Sherlock.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Karelia Watson",
    "Sherlock (software)"
  ],
  "word": "Sherlock"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.