under lock and key用法详解和近五年考题解析

短语“under lock and key”源于“用锁和钥匙管控”的具象行为，核心含义可分为两大类别：物理层面的严密保管（对物品、人员的实体管控）与抽象层面的封闭约束（对情感、信息的隐性限制）。

一、物理层面：对实体的严密管控

指通过锁具、隔离空间等物理手段，对物品（如贵重物、危险品）或人员（如嫌疑人、特殊群体）进行严格看管，强调“不可随意接触”的实体约束。

1. 物品的物理保护; 妥善锁藏着

We keep our valuables under lock and key.

我们把贵重物品锁起来收好了。

The books were normally kept under lock and key in the library vault

这些书一般妥善锁藏在图书馆的地窖里。

The museum’s diamond collection is kept under lock and key in a reinforced vault.

博物馆的钻石藏品被锁在加固的保险库里严密保管。

解析：针对高价值物品，“lock and key”与“reinforced vault”结合，凸显“多重物理防护”的专业性。

Laboratory chemicals that are toxic must be stored under lock and key.

有毒的实验室化学品必须锁好存放。

The old family photographs were put under lock and key to avoid damage from children.

旧家庭相册被锁起来，以防孩子损坏。

My grandmother’s jewelry box is kept under lock and key, hidden in the wardrobe.

奶奶的首饰盒被锁起来，藏在衣柜里。

The contract drafts are under lock and key until the final negotiation.

合同草案在最终谈判前被严密保管。

School exam papers are stored under lock and key to prevent leaks.

学校试卷被锁存以防泄题。

2. 人员的物理隔离; 被关押着

I will not rest until the murderer is under lock and key.

杀人凶手一天不关起来我一天不罢休。

The suspect was held under lock and key in a police cell overnight.嫌疑人被关在警局牢房里，一夜都处于严密看管中。

He is currently under lock and key at Eastmoor secure unit in Leeds.

他眼下被关押在利兹的伊斯特穆尔保安部。

Patients with severe mental illness were once kept under lock and key in remote asylums.

重度精神病患者曾被关在偏远的精神病院里严密看管。

The captured spy was kept under lock and key in a military prison.被俘间谍被关在军事监狱里严密看管。

The witness was placed under lock and key to avoid intimidation by the defendant’s men. 《绝望主妇》

证人被隔离看管，以防被告的人威胁。

二、抽象层面：对非实体的封闭约束和管控

指通过心理、规则等非物理手段，对情感、信息等抽象事物进行封闭或限制，强调“不可轻易暴露”的隐性约束，多用于隐喻。

1. 情感与心理的深深封闭或隐藏

After the divorce, she kept her feelings under lock and key, never talking about her pain.

离婚后，她把情感封闭起来，从不谈及痛苦。

His true thoughts remained under lock and key, even to his closest allies.

他的真实想法被藏得很深，即使对最亲密的盟友也不透露。

He kept his heart under lock and key after the breakup, refusing to fall in love again.

分手后他封闭了心门，拒绝再恋爱。

She’s friendly, but her past remains under lock and key—no one knows where she grew up.

她很友善，但过去的经历被藏得很深，没人知道她在哪里长大。

2. 信息与秘密的严格保密或管控

The company’s new product blueprints are under lock and key, known only to the R&D team.

公司的新产品设计图被严格保密，只有研发团队知晓。

Diplomatic cables containing sensitive negotiations are kept under lock and key.

包含敏感谈判的外交电报被严格保密。

The tax evasion evidence was kept under lock and key by the investigation team until the press conference.

调查组将逃税证据保密至新闻发布会。

The battle plans are under lock and key, accessible only to the general and his aides.

作战计划被严格保密，仅将军及其副官可查看。

The bank’s security codes were under lock and key—until Frank Abagnale cracked them. 《猫鼠游戏》

银行的安全密码曾被严格保密——直到弗兰克·阿巴内尔破解了它们。

三、近五年考试真题解析（2020-2025）

考题中“under lock and key”多涉及物理或抽象层面的核心含义，需结合语境判断类别：

1. 2023年雅思阅读：

原文：

ancient Egyptian tombs were often sealed under lock and key with stone slabs to protect the pharaoh’s treasures.

古埃及的陵墓通常用石板封墓，以保护法老的珍宝。

题目：What does “under lock and key” indicate about ancient burial practices?

解析：属于“物理层面的物品保护”，需答出“古埃及人通过物理手段（石板封墓）保护墓葬财宝，防止被盗”。

2. 2024年托福听力：

原文：

The university’s research data on cancer treatment is under lock and key, shared only with partner institutions.

该大学关于癌症治疗的研究数据是保密的，只与合作机构共享。

题目：Why is the data kept “under lock and key”?

解析：属于“抽象层面的信息保密”，答案需指向“保护研究成果的知识产权，限制非授权使用”。

3. 2025年考研英语二完形填空：

句子：

Her memories of the accident remained under lock and key, as if she’d buried them deep in her mind.

那次事故的记忆一直深深隐藏在她记忆深处，仿佛已经深深地埋在脑海里。

题目：选择与“under lock and key”表意一致的短语（选项：hidden away / fully expressed）。

解析：属于“抽象层面的情感封闭”，正确答案为“hidden away”，体现“记忆被刻意隐藏”的含义。