latch
a device for holding a door, gate, or the like, closed, consisting basically of a bar falling or sliding into a catch, groove, hole, etc.
a breastfeeding baby’s attachment or connection to the mother’s breast: A good, deep latch is important because it allows the infant to get enough milk.
to close or fasten with a latch.
to attach (a breastfeeding baby) to the breast: You should know how to properly latch your newborn.
to close tightly so that the latch is secured: The door won't latch.
(of a breastfeeding baby) to be or become attached to the breast: Failure to latch can be the result of poor positioning of the baby.
latch on,
to grab or hold on, as to an object or idea, especially tightly or tenaciously.
to include or add in; attach: If we latch the tax on, the bill will come to over $100.
latch onto, Informal.
to take possession of; obtain; get.
to acquire understanding of; comprehend.
to attach oneself to; join in with: The stray dog latched onto the children and wouldn't go home.
Origin of latch
1Other words from latch
- re·latch, verb (used with object)
Words Nearby latch
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use latch in a sentence
Ridges along the outer edges of the top and bottom latch together.
The diabolical ironclad beetle is nearly unsquishable | Maria Temming | November 23, 2020 | Science News For StudentsWhen flat, the panel lays on the lip of that aforementioned two-by-four, and once it was all fastened in, we attached the two halves of the sleeping platform together with a couple of chest latches.
How to Build Out Your Subaru Forester for $350 or Less | Madeleine LaPlante-Dube | October 15, 2020 | Outside OnlineThis kit comes in a clear sewing case with a handle and locking latch closure and is lightweight for easy transport.
Sewing kits perfect for home, travel, and gift-giving | PopSci Commerce Team | October 1, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThere’s a storage divider that neatly organizes the kit’s content and side latches that make it super easy to open and close.
The best first aid kits for staying safe and prepared | PopSci Commerce Team | September 4, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThe latches on the outside keep the grill shut during transport.
5 Portable Grills for All Your Outdoor Cooking Needs | Amy Marturana Winderl | September 2, 2020 | Outside Online
“If a reclining seat fails to latch properly it has to be taken out of service,” says Mann, costing the airline even more.
It takes a long time for the entertainment community to latch on to a hot new trend.
Since its release last fall, the music video for “latch” has already amassed over 15 million views on YouTube.
Disclosure Delves Back to U.K. Garage Roots in ‘Settle’ Album Release | Jean Trinh | June 4, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTWhich is necessary because the characters he encounters on his journey are often way too kooky—and, well, Guest-ian—to latch onto.
‘Family Tree’ Brings Christopher Guest’s Mockumentary Style to HBO | Jace Lacob | May 8, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTInstead, we latch onto the number and use that as a symbol of everything else.
Sikes, with Olivers hand still in his, softly approached the low porch, and raised the latch.
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3) | Charles DickensTo punctuate her observation Jessie Norwood lifted the iron latch and jerked open the door.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn | Margaret PenroseIts only the shank of the evening, officer, rejoined the old man, as he fumbled with the latch key and finally opened the door.
The Fifth String | John Philip SousaThen, as his neck is in the carcan, all you have to do is to close the collar with a latch and remove the ladder.
The Pilgrim's Shell or Fergan the Quarryman | Eugne SueEach had a heavy wooden latch, and a vast curved piece of wood was the handle by which it was to be opened.
Papers from Overlook-House | Casper Almore
British Dictionary definitions for latch
/ (lætʃ) /
a fastening for a gate or door that consists of a bar that may be slid or lowered into a groove, hole, etc
a spring-loaded door lock that can be opened by a key from outside
Also called: latch circuit electronics a logic circuit that transfers the input states to the output states when signalled, the output thereafter remaining insensitive to changes in input status until signalled again
to fasten, fit, or be fitted with or as if with a latch
Origin of latch
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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