—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 laeligccan f. Gmc
Useful english dictionary. 2012.