SHERLOCK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sherlock mean? 

• SHERLOCK (noun)
  The noun SHERLOCK has 1 sense:

1. someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information

  Familiarity information: SHERLOCK used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SHERLOCK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

operative; PI; private detective; private eye; private investigator; shamus; sherlock

Hypernyms ("sherlock" is a kind of...):

detective (an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sherlock"):

hotel detective; house detective; house dick (a private detective employed by a hotel or retail store)

inquiry agent (a private detective)

store detective (a private detective employed by a merchant to stop pilferage)

 Context examples 

Sherlock Holmes left the house alone, and only returned after eleven.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes sat down and lit his pipe.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes was rubbing his hands and chuckling as he added this bizarre incident to his collection of strange episodes.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes had not come back yet.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes took the glasses into his hand, and examined them with the utmost attention and interest.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes placed the subjoined paper before us.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes was too irritable for conversation and too restless for sleep.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came down.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes rose with a smile.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)