latch
/latʃ
/noun
1A metal bar with a catch and lever used for fastening a door or gate: lifting the latch, she pushed the gate open...
- On large canvas slabs, he uses a thick rust-colored paint and applies objects such as antler-shaped branches, a door latch or a metal chain.
- He put it on, swung down from the sides the cheek-guards, fastened the metal latch tightly.
- He was holding the latch of a metal door in the side of the pipe.
Synonyms
fastening, catch, fastener;
clasp, hasp, hook, bar, bolt, clip;
lock, padlock, deadlock;
Scottish sneck, snib
1.1A spring lock for an outer door, which catches when the door is closed and can only be opened from the outside with a key.Within seconds, I had located the latch and opened the door....
- Wasting no time I pulled on my trousers and buckled them, kicking into my shoes and grabbing my shirt and jacket when the door latch opened.
- He fumbled for the latch to open his door, and left the limousine and the beautiful woman behind as quickly as he could.
2 Electronics A circuit which retains whatever output state results from a momentary input signal until reset by another signal.The binding latch remains in a reset state while the battery signal is applied....
- The compare circuit includes a holding circuitry that includes a number of latches for holding an encoded version of a memory address.
- Sense amplifier latches are coupled to each column of memory cells.
verb [with object]
1Fasten (a door or gate) with a latch: she latched the door carefully...
- Kathryn rolled her eyes and latched the door securely.
- Once the viewing was over, they latched the door again, in silence.
- And he shushed her, pulling her into the house, and latching the back door.
Synonyms
fasten, secure, make fast, bar, bolt;
lock, padlock, deadlock;
Scottish & Irish sneck, snib
2 [no object] Electronics (Of a device) become fixed in a particular state: the output relay can be set to latch at a preset value
Phrases
on the latch
Phrasal verbs
latch on
latch on to
Origin
Old English læccan 'take hold of, grasp (physically or mentally'), of Germanic origin.