lock on

And they constituted a majority in enough states to ensure a Democratic lock on the Electoral College – and the presidency.

It wasn't too long ago - in the 1970s and 1980s - that Republicans were viewed as having a unassailable lock on the presidency because they consistently won a majority in enough states to prevail in the electoral college.

In a way, made-to-measure is like the child safety lock on a car door.

He pointed to a government decision to maintain the triple lock on pensions, meaning a rise of more than £900 for the state pension this year and also an extension to the Household Support Fund, providing "£500m of support for those most in need".

Earlier it had seemed that suitor Sam M. – who tried to "keep the main thing the main thing" – had a lock on the title.