Latch

Definition: Latch

Latch

Noun

1. Spring-loaded doorlock that can only be opened from the outside with a key.

2. Catch for fastening a door or gate; a bar that can be lowered or slid into a groove.

Verb

1. Fasten with a latch.

Date "latch" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1594. (references)

Domain	Definition
Computing	Latch A digital logic circuit used to store one or more bits. A latch has a data input, a clock input and an output. When the clock input is active, data on the input is "latched" or stored and transfered to the output either immediately or when the clock input goes inactive. The output will then retain its value until the clock goes active again. See also flip-flop. (1995-02-03). Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing.
Aerospace	A device that fastens one thing to another, as a rocket to a launcher, but is subject to ready release so that the things may be separated. (references)
Dream Interpretation	To dream of a latch, denotes you will meet urgent appeals for aid, to which you will respond unkindly. To see a broken latch, foretells disagreements with your dearest friend. Sickness is also foretold in this dream. Source: Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted ....
Electrical Engineering	A latching circuit, especially an externally-simple variety used as a one-bit temporary store. Source: European Union. (references)
Mechanical Engineering	The moving parts are retained in a fixed position by means of a locking device which cannot be released until certain specified conditions are fulfilled. Source: European Union. (references)
	Locking device in which the moving part turns on a pivot. Source: European Union. (references)
Mining	A. The locking device on a hoist hook, elevator, lifting bail, etc b. The inner-tube locking and unlocking device in the head of a wire-linecore barrel. (references)
Slang in 1811	LATCH. Let in. Source: 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.
Transportation	A unit which connects the seat frame to the ejection gun and the ejection gun to the aircraft sturcture. Source: European Union. (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Synonym: Latch

Synonym: door latch (n). (additional references)

Synonyms by domain: clicked (mechanical engineering), lock-in (mechanical engineering).

Context	Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).
Connection	Pin, corking pin, nail, brad, tack, skewer, staple, corrugated fastener; clamp, U-clamp, C-clamp; cramp, cramp iron; ratchet, detent, larigo, pawl; terret, treenail, screw, button, buckle; clasp, hasp, hinge, hank, catch, latch, bolt, latchet, tag; tooth; hook, hook and eye; lock, holdfast, padlock, rivet; anchor, grappling iron, trennel, stake, post.
Junction	Attach, fix, affix, saddle on, fasten, bind, secure, clinch, twist, make fast; Adjective: tie, pinion, string, strap, sew, lace, tat, tack, knit, button, buckle, hitch, lash, truss, bandage, braid, splice, swathe, gird, tether, moor, picket, harness, chain; fetter; (restrain); lock, latch, belay, brace, hook, grapple, leash, couple, accouple, link, yoke, bracket; marry; (wed); bridge over, span.
Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

Domain	Usage
Screenplays	The latch is broken (Rat Race; writing credit: Andy Breckman)
Tongue Twisters	A leaky rear latch on the listing bark lifted right up and the water rushed in. (references; author: unknown)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Domain	Title
Books	A Latch Against the Wind (reference) Designs for Needlepoint and Latch Hook Rugs (reference) Latch Key Care for Kids (reference) Lifting the Latch (reference) Stirrup Latch (reference) (more book examples)

Theater & Movies	Lift the Latch, Open the Door, Step Right In... Take the Floor (reference) (more DVD examples; more video examples)

High Tech	APC 3FT EXT SCSI Double Shielded Cent50M/Cent50M Latch Clips (reference) DATAPORT IV ATA/133-COMP ASSY LATCH WHITE (reference) (more camera examples; more video game examples; more computer examples; more electronic examples; more software examples)

Consumer Goods	SnugRide Infant Carseat with LATCH - French Bear (reference) Porter-Cable 59375 Strike and Latch Template (reference) (more baby examples; more wireless phone examples; more garden examples; more kitchen examples; more tool examples)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Thumbnail	Description & Credit	Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	She laid her hand on the latch, whispering "Dick!". Credit: Library of Congress.		Occupational portrait of a latch maker. Credit: Library of Congress.
	Steel production. Molten steel for war industries. A ladle of molten iron is poured into an opne hearth furnace for coversion into steel. Note safety latch on the crane hook. Republic, Youngstown. Credit: Library of Congress.		Latch on the door of the mess hall in a lumber camp in Forest County, Wisconsin. This is a common type of construction in the cut-over regions, especially in lumber camps. Credit: Library of Congress.
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Play	Caption	Play	Caption
	Lock; bolt; latch; secure; key; going out.		Doorknob; latch; handle; opening; open; ajar; unlocked; unlock.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Title	Author	Quote
Les Miserables	Hugo, Victor	The fence has a gate which a few years ago was fastened only by a latch.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Subject	Topic	Quote
Health		These antibodies then latch onto the antigens, working as tiny flags that alert immune cells to attack and destroy the foreign cells. (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

"Latch" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 76.50% of the time. "Latch" is used about 234 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)

Parts of Speech	Percent	Usage per 100 Million Words	Rank in English
Noun (singular)	76.5%	179	23,133
Lexical Verb (infinitive)	15.81%	37	56,631
Lexical Verb (base form)	7.69%	18	82,615
Total	100.00%	234	N/A

The following table summarizes the usage of "latch" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified.

Name	Usage/Gender	Usage per 100 million Persons	Rank in USA
Latch	Last name	1,000	17,692
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

Expressions using "latch": door latch ♦ fasten with latch ♦ hood latch ♦ Knob latch ♦ latch key ♦ latch on ♦ latch on to ♦ night latch ♦ on the latch ♦ safety latch ♦ spring latch ♦ Thumb latch. Additional references.
Hyphenated Usage
	Beginning with "latch": latch-key, latch-like, latch-string.
	Ending with "latch": d-latch.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Language		Translations for "latch"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Albanian		vë shulin derës, shul (fastener), reze dere, mbyll me reze. (various references)

Arabic		‏مزلاج (bolt, catch), ‏قفل (block out, close, confine, enclose, fastener, inclose, lock, obstruct, padlock, pen, plug, shut, shut down, shut out, shutter, turn off), ‏سقاطة الباب, ‏إستولى (annex, appropriate, be purchased, capture, carry, collar, jump, possess, requisition, seize, snatch, take, take up), ‏ثبت بمزلاج. (various references)

Bulgarian		сдобивам се с (acquire, obtain, procure), резе (bar, bolt, finger, key), разбирам (apprehend, catch on, comprehend, cotton, discover, fathom, figure out, find out, follow, grasp, grip, have, make out, penetrate, perceive, pick up, realize, riddle, rumble, see, see through, sense, take, take in, think, understand, work out), ключалка (click, fastener, keyhole, lock, snap), включвам (add in, comprise, cover, engage in, engraft, gear, include, incorporate, insert, involve, make, number, occlude, plug in, subsume, take in, throw in), взимам (intervene), мандало, затварям (case, cicatrize, close, constrain, douse, enclose, gaol, hem, house, immure, imprison, incarcerate, jail, lock, lock up, mew, obturate, pen, prison, pull to, restrain, screw up, seal off, shut, shut away, shut in, shut up, stop, turn off), заключвам (bolt, fasten, key, lock, lock up, prison, screw up, shut, shut in), загрявам (cotton, heat up, twig), лепвам се, присъединявам се (accede to, tie up). (various references)

Chinese		門閂 , 门闩. (various references)

Czech		petlice (hasp). (various references)

Danish		latch, laas, vippe (bistable circuit, bistable trigger, bistable trigger circuit, flip-flop, flip-flop toggle, low board, multivibrator, one-meter board, see-saw, springboard), rigel (bolt, catch, cross beam, girder, horizontal girder, lock, plunger, shot pin, spring plunger, stop pin, transom, transverse girder), pal (bolt, cam, catch, click, detent, inverse cam, lock, pawl, phase alternate line, phase alternation line, pin, programmable array logic, rack element, ratchet), koblingspal (folding stirrup), klinke (bolt, catch, click, lever latch, pawl, pin, rack element, ratchet), fastgøringsbeslag, falle (dog, latching, lock, pawl). (various references)

Dutch		latch, deurklink (lever latch), grendel (bolt, Grendel), haak (hook), klamp (brace, bracket, clamp, parenthesis, staple), klink (handle), knevel (moustache), blokkeerpen (bolt, catch, click, pawl, pin, rack element, ratchet), palwiel (bolt, catch, click, pawl, pin, rack element, ratchet, ratchet wheel), vergrendelschakeling, slot (castle, clasp, conclusion, end, ending, hook, lock, terminate), sluiting (buckle, catch, closure, fastener, fastening, fastening device, hurricane, lock, metal lace, sealing, shackle, spring hawser), tandheugel (bolt, catch, click, gear-rack, marionette, pawl, pin, rack, rack element, ratchet, toothed rack), tandrad (cogwheel, gear), teruglooppal (bolt, catch, click, pawl, pin, rack element, ratchet), trekker (tractor), vastzetpal (dog, latching, lock, pawl), pal (clique, coterie, exactly, firmly, junto, just, okay, right, set). (various references)

Farsi		محکم نگاهداشتن , چفت کردن (Hasp, Slot), چفت (Hasp, Lid, Snap), قفل کردن (Lock, Padlock), بوسیله کلون محکم کردن . (various references)

Finnish		lukon kieli, lukkopiiri, lukko (breech, lock), lukituslaite (caging device), salpa (bar, bolt), säppi (clasp), panna säppiin. (various references)

French		loquet (safety latch). (various references)

German		klinke (catch, handle, Jack, pawl, ratchet), riegel (bar, bolt, cake, strap, tab). (various references)

Greek		μάνταλο. (various references)

Hebrew		לסגור בבריח (bolt), שנץ (cord, lace, ligature, rib, strap, string), בריח (bar, bolt, clavicle, collar bone). (various references)

Hungarian		zárnyelv (bolt, bolt of a lock, sneck), tolózár (bolt, fastener, fastening, sliding bolt, sneck, valve), kilincs (clench, door handle, doorhandle, handle, pawl, trip), zár (bolt, fastening, lock, obturator, occlusion, snap, sneck, to fasten), retesz (bolt, catch, fastener, fastening, finger, hasp, slide, sliding bolt, sneck, tumbler), biztonsági zár (safety latch, safety lock). (various references)

Indonesian		grendel (door bolt). (various references)

Italian		chiavistello (bolt, lock). (various references)

Japanese Kanji		留め具 (clasp), ラタン家具 (lacquer, ladder, lap, lap time, laptop, LASH, latex, Latin, Latin America, Latin-American, latitude, lucky, lucky seventh, lucky zone, rack, rap, Rassa, rat, rattan furniture, ruck, rudder, ruffle, rush, rush hour, rush print, Russell, wrap, wrap-around, wraparound skirt, wrapping), 掛け金 (bill, installment, premium). (various references)

Japanese Katakana		ラッチ , かけがね, とめぐ (clasp). (various references)

Korean		래치. (various references)

Manx		snig (catch, fillip, flick, flip), sneggal, sneg (catch, sneck), pinn clickee. (various references)

Norwegian		smekklås, klinke. (various references)

Pig Latin		atchlay.(various references)

Portuguese		trinco (click, handle), lingueta (catch, feather, pallet, tongue), ferrolho (bolt, hasp). (various references)

Romanian		zãvor (bar, bolt, catch, fastener, key, lock), clanţã (catch, gab), încuietoare (hasp, lock-bolt, poser, stunt). (various references)

Russian		щеколда (heck), запор (constipation, fastener, hasp, lock, lock on), запирать блокировка, задвижка (damper), американский замок. (various references)

Scottish		easp (door latch). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian		reza (bolt, hasp). (various references)

Spanish		pestillo (bolt, catch), cerrojo (bolt). (various references)

Swedish		säkerhetslås, dörrklinka (click). (various references)

Thai		ใส่กลอน, กลอน. (various references)

Turkish		tutturmak (attach, be hung up on, bind, bond, braid, clasp, clip, fasten, hasp, infix, insist, pin, rub in, seam together, stereotype, stick, stick together, tack, tack together), pencere mandalı, pencere kilidi, mandallamak (click, clip, fasten with latch), mandal (clothes peg, clothes pin, fastener, pin, ratch, ratchet), kapı mandalı. (various references)

Turkmen		tirkemek (hook onto, latch onto). (various references)

Ukrainian		шпінгалет (catch), засув (bar, bolt, catch, fast, fastener, hasp, lock, sneck), зачинятися на засув, зачиняти на засув (bolt). (various references)

Vietnamese		then cửa khoá rập ngoài, chốt cửa. (various references)

Welsh		cliciedu (fasten). (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Language	Period	Translations
Old French	900-1400	loquet. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Derivations
	Words beginning with "latch": latched, latches, latchet, latchets, latching, latchkey, latchkeys, latchstring, latchstrings. (additional references)
	Words ending with "latch": klatch, potlatch, slatch, throatlatch, unlatch. (additional references)
	Words containing "latch": klatches, potlatched, potlatches, potlatching, slatches, throatlatches, unlatched, unlatches, unlatching. (additional references)
Misspellings
	"Latch" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: aletsch, atch, blatch, clatch, flatch, Laach, Lach, lachy, lact, laich, Latc, latche, lauch, leatch, lech, leitch, letcht, letxh, Liatach, litch, Llach, lytch, slitch. (additional references)
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

# of Phoneme Matches	Pronunciation	Word(s) rhyming with "latch" (pronounced la"kh)
2	-a" kh	attach, batch, brach, catch, detach, dispatch, hatch, mache, match, mismatch, overmatch, patch, reattach, rematch, scratch, snatch, thatch.
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "a-c-h-l-t"
	-1 letter: chat, halt, lath, tach, talc.
	-2 letters: act, alt, cat, hat, lac, lat.
	-3 letters: ah, al, at, ha, la, ta.
	Words containing the letters "a-c-h-l-t"
	+1 letter: chalet, chalot, chital, klatch, slatch, thecal.
	+2 letters: calathi, canthal, chaetal, chalets, challot, chaloth, chalutz, chaplet, chattel, chelate, chitals, cholate, claucht, claught, ethical, hatchel, hellcat, klatsch, latched, latches, latchet, potlach, satchel, thallic, trachle, trochal, unlatch.
	+3 letters: acrolith, alcahest, athletic, cachalot, calathos, calathus, calthrop, catchall, catchfly, catechol, cathodal, catholic, challoth, chaplets, chastely, chattels, chattily, chelated, chelates, chelator, chevalet, chiliast, chlorate, cholates, claughts, eschalot, ethicals, ethnical, halachot, haptical, hatchels, hectical, hellcats, klatches, latchets, latching, latchkey, leachate, mythical, oothecal, patchily, phthalic, planchet, potlache, potlatch, satchels, schmaltz, slatches, stanchly, taiglach, teiglach, thalamic, thetical, thinclad, thoracal, tracheal, trachled, trachles, trauchle, trochlea, watchful.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.

Expression	Frequency per Day	Expression	Frequency per Day
ez latch lock set	350	chain fence gate latch link	13
latch	222	industrial latch	13
latch hook	136	screen door latch	12
latch hook rug	80	latch loaded spring	12
gate latch	79	latch hooking	12
latch hook kit	70	spring latch	12
door latch	54	compression latch	11
latch hook rug kit	49	village latch inn	11
latch key kid	47	latch hook pattern	11
magna latch	44	bear claw latch	10
latch hinge	33	southco latch	10
cabinet latch	26	latch hardware	10
latch system	26	cam latch	9
draw latch	22	latch magnetic	9
latch car seat	21	hood jeep latch	9
window latch	20	latch key child	9
latch and lock	17	hook latch software	8
chain fence gate latch link pool	17	touch latch	8
thumb latch	15	latch and bolt	8
hood latch	14	brother latch	8
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.


"Window latch" by Red Bull Commentary: "Peeling paint on a window latch."	"Window latch" by Jason Krieger Commentary: "A macro of a window latch."
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers.

Latch

Definition: Latch

Latch

Noun

Verb

Specialty Definition: Latch

Synonym: Latch

Synonyms within Context: Latch

Connection

Junction

Crosswords: Latch

Modern Usage: Latch

Screenplays

Tongue Twisters

Commercial Usage: Latch

Books

Theater & Movies

High Tech

Consumer Goods

Image Slideshow: Latch

Photos:Latch

Illustrations:Latch

Computer Images:Latch

Photo Album: Latch

Digital Photo Gallery: Latch

Sounds Captioned with "Latch".

Use in Literature: Latch

Les Miserables

Hugo, Victor

Non-Fiction Usage: Latch

Usage Frequency: Latch

Name Usage Frequency: Latch

Expression: Latch

Frequency of Internet Keywords: Latch

Modern Translation: Latch

Albanian

Arabic

Bulgarian

Chinese

Czech

Danish

Dutch

Farsi

Finnish

French

German

Greek

Hebrew

Hungarian

Indonesian

Italian

Japanese Kanji

Japanese Katakana

Korean

Manx

Norwegian

Pig Latin

Portuguese

Romanian

Russian

Scottish

Serbo-Croatian

Spanish

Swedish

Thai

Turkish

Turkmen

Ukrainian

Vietnamese

Welsh

Ancestral Language Translations: Latch

Derivations & Misspellings: Latch

Derivations

Misspellings

Rhyming with "Latch"

Anagrams: Latch

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

INDEX

Photos:
Latch

Illustrations:
Latch

Computer Images:
Latch