Adjacent Words

Latch definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LATCH, n. [L. ligula, from ligo, to tie, and with English lock. L. laqueus, from which we have lace, may belong to the same root. The primary sense of the root is to catch, to close, stop or make fast.]
1. A small piece of iron or wood used to fasten a door.
2. A small line like a loop, used to lace the bonnets to the courses, or the drabblers to the bonnets.
LATCH, v.t.
1. To fasten with a latch; to fasten.
2. To smear. [Not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: spring-loaded doorlock that can only be opened from the outside with a key [syn: latch, door latch]
2: catch for fastening a door or gate; a bar that can be lowered or slid into a groove v
1: fasten with a latch; "latch the door"

Merriam Webster's

I. intransitive verb Etymology: Middle English lachen, from Old English læccan; perhaps akin to Greek lambanein to take, seize Date: 13th century 1. to lay hold with or as if with the hands or arms — used with on or onto 2. to associate oneself intimately and often artfully — used with on or onto <latched onto a rich widow> II. noun Date: 13th century any of various devices in which mating mechanical parts engage to fasten but usually not to lock something: a. a fastener (as for a door) consisting essentially of a pivoted bar that falls into a notch b. a fastener (as for a door) in which a spring slides a bolt into a hole; also night latch III. transitive verb Date: 15th century to make fast with or as if with a latch

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a bar with a catch and lever used as a fastening for a gate etc. 2 a spring-lock preventing a door from being opened from the outside without a key after being shut. --v.tr. & intr. fasten or be fastened with a latch. Phrases and idioms: latch on (often foll. by to) colloq. 1 attach oneself (to). 2 understand. on the latch fastened by the latch only, not locked. Etymology: prob. f. (now dial.) latch (v.) seize f. OE læccan f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Latch Latch, v. t. [Cf. F. l['e]cher to lick (of German origin). Cf. Lick.] To smear; to anoint. [Obs.] --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Latch Latch, n. [OE. lacche, fr. lacchen to seize, As. l[ae]ccan.] 1. That which fastens or holds; a lace; a snare. [Obs.] --Rom. of R. 2. A movable piece which holds anything in place by entering a notch or cavity; specifically, the catch which holds a door or gate when closed, though it be not bolted. 3. (Naut.) A latching. 4. A crossbow. [Obs.] --Wright.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Latch Latch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Latched; p. pr. & vb. n. Latching.] [OE. lacchen. See Latch. n.] 1. To catch so as to hold. [Obs.] Those that remained threw darts at our men, and latching our darts, sent them again at us. --Golding. 2. To catch or fasten by means of a latch. The door was only latched. --Locke.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Latching Latch"ing, n. (Naut.) A loop or eye formed on the head rope of a bonnet, by which it is attached to the foot of a sail; -- called also latch and lasket. [Usually in pl.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(latches, latching, latched) 1. A latch is a fastening on a door or gate. It consists of a metal bar which you lift in order to open the door. You left the latch off the gate and the dog escaped. N-COUNT 2. A latch is a lock on a door which locks automatically when you shut the door, so that you need a key in order to open it from the outside. ...a key clicked in the latch of the front door. N-COUNT 3. If you latch a door or gate, you fasten it by means of a latch. He latched the door, tested it, and turned around to speak to Frank. VERB: V n

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

Let in.

Moby Thesaurus

articulate, bang, bar, barricade, batten, batten down, bolt, buckle, butt, button, button up, choke, choke off, clap, clasp, cleat, clip, close, close up, constrict, contain, contract, cover, dovetail, fasten, fold, fold up, hasp, hinge, hitch, hook, jam, joint, key, lock, lock out, lock up, miter, mortise, nail, occlude, padlock, peg, pin, plumb, rabbet, rivet, scarf, screw, seal, seal off, seal up, secure, sew, shut, shut the door, shut up, skewer, slam, snap, squeeze shut, staple, stick, stitch, strangle, tack, toggle, wedge, zip up, zipper