From Middle English lacchen (“to seize, catch, grasp”, verb), from Old English læċċan (“to grasp, take hold of, catch, seize”), from Proto-Germanic *lakjaną, *lakwijaną, *lakkijaną (“to seize”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂g-, *(s)leh₂gʷ- (“to take, seize”). Cognate with Middle Dutch lakken (“to grasp, catch”).
Meanings
To close or lock as if with a latch.
(transitive) To catch; lay hold of.
Where hearing should not latch them. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
To use a latch (kind of lightweight lock).
(of a breastfeeding baby) To connect to the breast.
fi panna säppiin (to close with a latch) · ota مانداللامق (to close with a latch) · de einklinken (to close with a latch) · pt trincar (to close with a latch) · de zuschnappen (to close with a latch) · sv regla (to close with a latch) · fi salvata (to close with a latch) · ta தாழிடு (to close with a latch) · de sperren (to close with a latch) · gl pechar (to close with a latch) · de einrasten (to close with a latch) · mi whakarawa (to close with a latch) · tr mandallamak (to close with a latch) · es apestillar (to close with a latch) · eo rigli (to close with a latch) · de schließen (to close with a latch) · de zuklinken (to close with a latch) · de verriegeln (to close with a latch) · es acerrojar (to close with a latch)
From Middle English latche, lacche (“a latch; a trap”), from lacchen (“to seize, catch, grasp”), from Old English læċċan (“to grasp, take hold of, catch, seize”). See above for more.
Meanings
A fastening for a door that has a bar that fits into a notch or slot, and is lifted by a lever or string from either side.
The cleverly constructed latch which Clayton had made for the door had sprung as Kerchak passed out; nor could the apes find means of ingress through the heavily barred windows. 1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as chapter 4, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, June 1914, →OCLC:
An electronic circuit that is like a flip-flop, except that it is level triggered instead of edge triggered.
(obsolete) A latching.
(obsolete) A crossbow.
(obsolete) That which fastens or holds; a lace; a snare.
Love will none other birde catch,
Though he set either nette or latch c. 1360s (date written), Geffray Chaucer [i.e., Geoffrey Chaucer], “The Romaunt of the Rose”, in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London: […] Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], published 1542, →OCLC:
A breastfeeding baby's connection to the breast.
A lightweight lock to protect internal structures from being modified by multiple concurrent accesses.
mk самострел (crossbow) · sk haspra (fastening for a door) · el σύρτης (fastening for a door) · vi chốt cửa (fastening for a door) · mn оньс (fastening for a door) · el μανδαλωτής (flip-flop electronic circuit) · uk за́сув (fastening for a door) · es picaporte (fastening for a door) · ja 掛け金 (fastening for a door) · fr bascule (flip-flop electronic circuit) · es falleba (fastening for a door) · eo klinko (fastening for a door) · ota كلید (fastening for a door) · vi then cửa (fastening for a door) · de Klinke (fastening for a door) · cmn 門閂 /门闩 (fastening for a door) · km គន្លឹះទ្វារ (fastening for a door) · es pestillo (fastening for a door) · sh samostrel (crossbow) · cs petlice (fastening for a door) · ru защёлка (fastening for a door) · sk kuša (crossbow) · fi salpa (flip-flop electronic circuit) · bg резе (fastening for a door) · th กลอน (fastening for a door) · ta தாழ்ப்பாள் (fastening for a door) · sk petlica (fastening for a door) · ota مغلاق (fastening for a door) · de Verschluss (fastening for a door) · ko 걸쇠 (fastening for a door) · mi whakarawa (fastening for a door) · fi varsijousi (crossbow) · hi सिटकिनी (fastening for a door) · bg мандало (fastening for a door) · es biestable (flip-flop electronic circuit) · cmn 门釦 (fastening for a door) · ar زِلاَج (fastening for a door) · uz gaʻlaqa (fastening for a door) · es cerrojo (fastening for a door) · ota ماندال (fastening for a door) · tl busulan (fastening for a door) · de Arretierung (fastening for a door) · cmn 锁存器 (flip-flop electronic circuit) · ro zăvoare (fastening for a door) · ta தாழ் (fastening for a door) · fa کلون (fastening for a door) · fr prise de sein (baby's connection to the breast) · de Klinkenschalter (flip-flop electronic circuit) · sq bakllama (fastening for a door) · es verrojo (fastening for a door) · pt trinco (fastening for a door) · fr loquet (fastening for a door) · fi kiikku (flip-flop electronic circuit) · it chiavistello (fastening for a door) · pl kusza (crossbow) · el μανταλωτής (flip-flop electronic circuit) · de Schnappriegel (fastening for a door) · uz loʻkidon (fastening for a door) · es piesllo (fastening for a door) · de Auffangregister (flip-flop electronic circuit) · de Anschlag (fastening for a door) · sh zavoranj (fastening for a door) · ru щеко́лда (fastening for a door) · fi säppi (fastening for a door) · gu નકૂચો (fastening for a door) · sv hasp (fastening for a door) · gl martabela (fastening for a door) · de Rastklinke (fastening for a door) · cy clicied (fastening for a door) · eo anso (fastening for a door) · mn түгжээ (fastening for a door) · ar مِزْلاَج (fastening for a door) · gl caravilla (fastening for a door) · de Armbrust (crossbow) · be клямка (fastening for a door) · cmn 門釦 /门扣 (fastening for a door) · pl przerzutnik (flip-flop electronic circuit) · de Signalschalter (flip-flop electronic circuit) · sq reze (fastening for a door) · ru запо́р (fastening for a door) · tg лукидон (fastening for a door) · fi salpa (fastening for a door) · ro zăvor (fastening for a door) · ca pestell (fastening for a door) · ru засо́в (fastening for a door) · gd sneic (fastening for a door) · hu retesz (fastening for a door) · pl antaba (fastening for a door) · nl klink (fastening for a door) · de Sperre (fastening for a door) · mi tūtaki (fastening for a door) · pl zasuwa (fastening for a door) · de Verriegelung (fastening for a door) · he בריח (fastening for a door) · fr succion (baby's connection to the breast) · ar ضَبَّة (fastening for a door) · nl kruisboog (crossbow) · el μάνταλο (fastening for a door) · it fermo (fastening for a door) · sh reza (fastening for a door) · ru задви́жка (fastening for a door) · mi rawe (fastening for a door) · eo riglilo (fastening for a door) · sh zasun (fastening for a door) · pt tranca (fastening for a door) · cmn 含乳 (baby's connection to the breast) · de Schnapper (fastening for a door) · ja ラッチ (fastening for a door) · pt flip-flop (flip-flop electronic circuit) · ca llisquet (fastening for a door) · pl rygiel (fastening for a door) · sv regel (fastening for a door) · de Schnappverschluss (fastening for a door) · hi कुंडी (fastening for a door) · de Verschlusshebel (fastening for a door) · de Riegel (fastening for a door) · de Falle (fastening for a door) · id selot (fastening for a door) · de Schnäpper (fastening for a door) · fi imuote (baby's connection to the breast) · hi अर्गल (fastening for a door) · ml കുറ്റി (fastening for a door) · sv låskrets (flip-flop electronic circuit) · th หน้าไม้ (crossbow) · az qapı sürgüsü (fastening for a door) · gl pecho (fastening for a door)
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes
With the love-juice , as I did bid thee do? c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]: