![What Is The 'Savannah, Slow Down' Meme And Where Did It Come From? The Viral Video And TikTok Audio Explained](https://i.kym-cdn.com/featured_items/icons/wide/000/025/832/fp2.jpg)
![What Does It Mean To 'Lock In'? The Internet Slang Term Inspiring Memes About 'Tweaking' VS. Being 'Locked In' Explained Lock in slang and memes explained.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/editorials/icons/mobile/000/009/867/locked_in.jpg)
What Does It Mean To 'Lock In'? The Internet Slang Term Inspiring Memes About 'Tweaking' VS. Being 'Locked In' Explained
When push comes to shove, most people know that they need to quit tweaking out and just lock in to get the job done. Teens have been using the colloquialism "lock in" for over a decade now, typically to describe how they are done "dilly-dallying" and have decided to focus on the task at hand.
![Tweaking vs. Locked In R ER When I'm happy I say: that fish is locked in When I'm sad I say: that fish is tweaking](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/768/315/42b.png)
But where did the slang expression originate, and what's the best way to add the slang term to your vocabulary? Here's a look at all the memes that joke about being "locked in," and a look at the history of the word online.
Where Did The Term 'Locked In' Come From?
"Locked In" is a phrase that likely originated from AAVE, with an Urban Dictionary user posting their interpretation of the term as early as 2009. The user described the phrase as getting "extra extra focused on your dream."
![When You Gotta Lock In Locked In Get Extra Extra focused on your dream We are taking a one hour twitter/blackberry break. lock in!!! Get locked in!!! by NicLydon April 9, 2009 207 29 y f FLAG](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/692/915/2ea.png)
Looking at the way several internet users used the phrase "locked in" in 2012, this interpretation of the word holds up as an origin. Many Twitter users talked about "locking in" for exams and life milestones, as seen in the examples below.
![When You Gotta Lock In Ryan Edwards @kingryan91 I gotta lock in on this humanities paper tomorrow 6:47 AM. Apr 21, 2011](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/692/919/8b1.png)
![When You Gotta Lock In @YNGKOBE 7 @CeejayLeggett7 For the next few months i gotta lock in and focus!! 12:33 AM Jul 26, 2012](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/692/920/3f5.png)
How Did The Phrase 'Locked In' Become A Meme Online?
In 2023, the phrase "When You Gotta Lock In" was popularized online. Some memes joked about "locking in" or making a straight, serious face when your phone's Face ID doesn't recognize you or "locking in" when the barber gets to your hairline so you don't accidentally cause him to mess it up.
![When You Gotta Lock In (Crying Baby meme) When you gotta lock in:](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/680/208/063.jpg)
![When You Gotta Lock In J Tik Tok @incollegedebt of When the barber gets to you hairline so you gotta lock in](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/692/944/284.png)
When Did The Tweaking vs. Locked-In Dichotomy Arise?
Sometime later in the year 2023, a user on X recounted their experience of visiting the aquarium with their Zoomer little brother, only to have him spend the whole trip pointing at different fish to say, "that fish is locked in" or "that fish is tweaking."
![Tweaking vs. Locked In nova @nisemonova zoomer little brother spent the entire aquarium trip today pointing and either going "that fish is locked in" or "that fish is tweaking" no in between 7:50 PM Nov 23, 2023 2.4M Views](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/768/306/70c.png)
The hugely viral post inspired people to share their own memes about how tweaking out is diametrically opposed to locking in, as seen in the memes below.
![Tweaking vs. Locked In THAT FISH IS OR THAT FISH LOCKED IN IS TWEAKIN CALL IT.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/768/321/4fa.png)
![Tweaking vs. Locked In twig wall frame @hostagemurderer that fish is locked in *click* ..nice.. hmm, that fish is tweaking *click* ..yup.. that fish is tweaking *click* ..good enough.. this is kind of an odd one, i'll say.. this one's locked in *click* ..i'll take it.. 3:40 PM Dec 13, 2023 858 Views :](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/768/316/2fd.png)
What's Up With Memes About Being 'Born To Dilly Dally' But Being 'Forced To Lock In'?
In 2024, the internet saw another wave of memes showing the other side of being locked in. X user @fatfatpankocat posted a two-panel cat meme showing a silly-looking cat sitting in front of a cat-sized laptop with the caption, "Born to dilly dally / Forced to lock in."
![Born to Dilly Dally, Forced to Lock In Cat born to dilly dally forced to lock in SAMSUNG 8](https://a.kym-cdn.com/assets/blank-b3f96f160b75b1b49b426754ba188fe8.gif)
The use of the phrase "dilly dally" to counter the narrative of being "locked in" inspired a host of redraws and memes that showed other people who were born to faff about and those who are forced to get with the program.
![Born to Dilly Dally, Forced to Lock In Mew Born to Dilly dally Forced to Lock in](https://a.kym-cdn.com/assets/blank-b3f96f160b75b1b49b426754ba188fe8.gif)
![Born to Dilly Dally, Forced to Lock In Ceno Born to dilly dally Forced to lock in D](https://a.kym-cdn.com/assets/blank-b3f96f160b75b1b49b426754ba188fe8.gif)
For the full history of the term Locked In, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
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