Latch
/lætʃ/
nounverbB1
Definition
A latch is a simple tool or part that holds a door, window, or gate closed. It usually has a small bar or hook that fits into a catch to keep the door from opening. When you latch something, you fasten it using this device so it stays shut and safe.
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See It in Action
Noun: A small fastening device for doors or gates
- •The door has a latch that keeps it closed.
- •Please make sure the latch on the gate is secure.
- •The window latch was broken, so the window would not stay shut.
Verb: To fasten or close something with a latch
- •She latched the door before leaving.
- •Make sure to latch the gate so the dog doesn’t run away.
- •He latched the cupboard to keep the children out.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "latch" like "lock" (A1 word), but simpler and often easier to open—like a small catch, not a full lock with a key.
- ✓Picture a wooden gate with a small metal bar that you lift and drop into place to keep it closed.
- ✓It's the feeling of making sure a door stays closed, so nothing can open it by accident.
- ✓Sounds like "catch" → imagine catching a door with a small bar so it doesn’t move.
- ✓Imagine a child’s safety gate at home that uses a latch to keep the child from opening it.
- ✓NOT like "lock" (needs a key or code), a latch is often opened by hand.
- ✓NOT like "bolt" (a bigger, stronger metal bar), a latch is usually smaller and lighter.
- ✓NOT like "hook" (just hangs), a latch holds something firmly closed.
Try Other Words
- •Lock: to fasten with a key or combination (Use when stronger security is needed)
- •Bolt: a metal bar to fasten doors or windows (Use when a stronger or heavier fastening is needed)
- •Hook: a curved piece to hang or hold (Use when something just hangs or holds lightly, not firmly closed)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "latch" is a base word without prefix or suffix
- •Etymology: From Old English "læccan," meaning to catch or seize
- •Historical development: Originally meant to catch or hold something, later used for fastening devices on doors and gates
- •Modern usage: Commonly used for simple fastening devices on doors, windows, gates, and sometimes cupboards or boxes
- •Key insight: A latch is a simple, manual device to hold something closed, often easy to open and close by hand
Reflect & Connect
•How does using a latch instead of a lock change the way we think about security and convenience?
•Can you think of places where a latch is better than a lock? Why?
Fill in the blanks
1.She always ___ the door carefully to keep the house safe from wind.
2.The baby gate has a ___ that adults can open easily but children cannot.
3.Unlike a lock, a latch can usually be opened without a ___ or special tool.
4.When the latch is broken, the door will not ___ properly and might swing open.
5.You should ___ the gate tightly to make sure the dog does not escape.
6.The latch on the window made a small ___ sound when it closed.
7.If you forget to ___ the door, it might open by ___ when the wind blows.