Cool MateSecure vs She had locked something away
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Secure
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
She had locked something away
Top 3,000 (common)
Most common: Secure
| Secure | She had locked something away | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/sɪˈkjʊə(r)/","/sɪˈkjʊəz/","/sɪˈkjʊəd/","/sɪˈkjʊərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sɪˈkjʊr/","/sɪˈkjʊrz/","/sɪˈkjʊrd/","/sɪˈkjʊrɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //lɒk əˈweɪ//🇺🇸 //lɑk əˈweɪ// |
| Meaning | To make safe or protect something. | To keep something safe in a secure place. |
| Example | We need to secure the doors before we leave for the night. | She had locked something away in her drawer, hiding it from prying eyes. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | easily, safely, eventually, be able to, manage to, fail to, an attempt to secure something, an effort to secure something, be aimed at securing something, firmly, properly, tightly, to, with | lock away secrets, lock away valuables, lock away memories, lock away feelings, lock away items |
| Antonyms | danger, unsecure, risk | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'ensure' - 'ensure' means to make sure something happens., Using 'secured' as an adjective when it should be a verb., Misplacing the emphasis on the second syllable. | Confusing 'lock away' with 'lock up' (which can imply locking a person in)., Using it without an object (e.g., 'She had locked away' is incomplete). |
| Usage notes | Used to indicate making something safe, but can also mean to obtain or achieve something. More common in formal contexts when referring to safety and in neutral situations for obtaining. | Use when referring to physically securing an object. Avoid in very casual contexts. Common in narratives about safety or secrecy. |
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Frequently asked questions: Secure vs She had locked something away
What's the difference between Secure and She had locked something away?
Secure: To make safe or protect something. She had locked something away: To keep something safe in a secure place.
Which is more common: Secure and She had locked something away?
Secure is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Secure: We need to secure the doors before we leave for the night. She had locked something away: She had locked something away in her drawer, hiding it from prying eyes.
Can I use Secure and She had locked something away interchangeably?
Not always. Secure and She had locked something away are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.