"lockstep" meaning in English

See lockstep in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈlɒkstɛp/ [UK] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav Forms: lock-step [alternative]
Etymology: From lock + step. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|lock|step}} lock + step Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} lockstep (not comparable)
  1. In close connection, in unison, synchronized. Tags: not-comparable
    Sense id: en-lockstep-en-adj-nZZfUqnB Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 61 15 21 3 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 78 9 10 2 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 60 14 23 2 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 63 14 21 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 60 19 13 8 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 64 14 16 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 71 12 14 3

Noun

IPA: /ˈlɒkstɛp/ [UK] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav Forms: locksteps [plural], lock-step [alternative]
Etymology: From lock + step. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|lock|step}} lock + step Head templates: {{en-noun|-|s}} lockstep (usually uncountable, plural locksteps)
  1. (military) A step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front. Tags: uncountable, usually Categories (topical): Military Translations (step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front): marssi tahdissa lähekkäin (Finnish), but see Gleichschritt (note: not necessarily very close but in unison) [masculine] (German)
    Sense id: en-lockstep-en-noun-kf8uNdn6 Topics: government, military, politics, war Disambiguation of 'step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front': 97 2 1
  2. (figuratively) Close connection, unison, rigid synchronization. Tags: figuratively, uncountable, usually Translations (close connection, unison, rigid synchronization): unísono [masculine] (Spanish), sincronización [feminine] (Spanish), mismo paso [masculine] (Spanish), paralelo [masculine] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-lockstep-en-noun-ynDibCUd Disambiguation of 'close connection, unison, rigid synchronization': 3 86 11
  3. An inflexible, rigid or stifling pattern. Tags: uncountable, usually
    Sense id: en-lockstep-en-noun-ELUMbwF2

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "lock",
        "3": "step"
      },
      "expansion": "lock + step",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From lock + step.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "locksteps",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "lock-step",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "lockstep (usually uncountable, plural locksteps)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Military",
          "orig": "en:Military",
          "parents": [
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front."
      ],
      "id": "en-lockstep-en-noun-kf8uNdn6",
      "links": [
        [
          "military",
          "military"
        ],
        [
          "step",
          "step"
        ],
        [
          "toe",
          "toe"
        ],
        [
          "heel",
          "heel"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(military) A step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "military",
        "politics",
        "war"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front",
          "word": "marssi tahdissa lähekkäin"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "note": "no equivalent term in German",
          "sense": "step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "note": "not necessarily very close but in unison",
          "sense": "step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "but see Gleichschritt"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Tim Weiner, Legacy of Ashes, Penguin, published 2008, page xv:",
          "text": "The CIA's analysts learned to march in lockstep, conforming to conventional wisdom.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2025 February 25, Linda Feldmann, “How Trump skirts checks and balances unlike any modern-day US president”, in The Christian Science Monitor:",
          "text": "But what [the Founding Fathers] weren’t counting on was lockstep partisanship, which translates today into a pro-Trump, pro-MAGA congressional majority that is likely to reinforce the president’s agenda, at least until the 2026 midterm elections.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Close connection, unison, rigid synchronization."
      ],
      "id": "en-lockstep-en-noun-ynDibCUd",
      "links": [
        [
          "unison",
          "unison"
        ],
        [
          "synchronization",
          "synchronization"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) Close connection, unison, rigid synchronization."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively",
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 86 11",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "unísono"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 86 11",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "sincronización"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 86 11",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "mismo paso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 86 11",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "paralelo"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "An inflexible, rigid or stifling pattern."
      ],
      "id": "en-lockstep-en-noun-ELUMbwF2",
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈlɒkstɛp/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e0/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav.mp3",
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    }
  ],
  "word": "lockstep"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "lock",
        "3": "step"
      },
      "expansion": "lock + step",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From lock + step.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "lock-step",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "lockstep (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "61 15 21 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 9 10 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "60 14 23 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "63 14 21 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "60 19 13 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 14 16 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "71 12 14 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1983 February 5, Marc Killinger, “Universities Reinstate Military Recruiters”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 28, page 3:",
          "text": "With both official university policies lock-step in favor of military recruitment, the next move is up to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In close connection, in unison, synchronized."
      ],
      "id": "en-lockstep-en-adj-nZZfUqnB",
      "links": [
        [
          "unison",
          "unison"
        ],
        [
          "synchronized",
          "synchronized"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈlɒkstɛp/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e0/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav.mp3",
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    }
  ],
  "word": "lockstep"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "lock",
        "3": "step"
      },
      "expansion": "lock + step",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From lock + step.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "locksteps",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "lock-step",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "lockstep (usually uncountable, plural locksteps)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Military"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "military",
          "military"
        ],
        [
          "step",
          "step"
        ],
        [
          "toe",
          "toe"
        ],
        [
          "heel",
          "heel"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(military) A step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "military",
        "politics",
        "war"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Tim Weiner, Legacy of Ashes, Penguin, published 2008, page xv:",
          "text": "The CIA's analysts learned to march in lockstep, conforming to conventional wisdom.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2025 February 25, Linda Feldmann, “How Trump skirts checks and balances unlike any modern-day US president”, in The Christian Science Monitor:",
          "text": "But what [the Founding Fathers] weren’t counting on was lockstep partisanship, which translates today into a pro-Trump, pro-MAGA congressional majority that is likely to reinforce the president’s agenda, at least until the 2026 midterm elections.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Close connection, unison, rigid synchronization."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "unison",
          "unison"
        ],
        [
          "synchronization",
          "synchronization"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) Close connection, unison, rigid synchronization."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively",
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "An inflexible, rigid or stifling pattern."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈlɒkstɛp/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e0/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav.mp3",
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    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front",
      "word": "marssi tahdissa lähekkäin"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "note": "no equivalent term in German",
      "sense": "step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "note": "not necessarily very close but in unison",
      "sense": "step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "but see Gleichschritt"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "unísono"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "sincronización"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "mismo paso"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "close connection, unison, rigid synchronization",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "paralelo"
    }
  ],
  "word": "lockstep"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "lock",
        "3": "step"
      },
      "expansion": "lock + step",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From lock + step.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "lock-step",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "lockstep (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1983 February 5, Marc Killinger, “Universities Reinstate Military Recruiters”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 28, page 3:",
          "text": "With both official university policies lock-step in favor of military recruitment, the next move is up to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In close connection, in unison, synchronized."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "unison",
          "unison"
        ],
        [
          "synchronized",
          "synchronized"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈlɒkstɛp/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e0/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav.mp3",
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    }
  ],
  "word": "lockstep"
}

Download raw JSONL data for lockstep meaning in English (5.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-03-30 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-03-21 using wiktextract (fef8596 and 633533e). 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.