latch

noun

🔊/lætʃ/

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a small metal bar that is used to fasten a door or a gate. You raise it to open the door and drop it to fasten it.门闩；插销
- He lifted the latch and opened the door.他拉起门闩开了门。🔊🔊
Extra Examples
- She lifted the latch and went into the garden.她提起闩锁，进入花园。
- She tried the latch, but the door wouldn't open.她试过门闩，但门没开。
(especially British English) a type of lock on a door that needs a key to open it from the outside碰锁；弹簧锁
- She listened for his key in the latch.她留神听着他把钥匙插入门锁。🔊🔊

Word OriginOld English læccan ‘take hold of, grasp (physically or mentally)’, of Germanic origin.

Idioms

on the latch

(British English) closed but not locked关着但未锁上
- Can you leave the door on the latch so I can get in?你别锁门好不好？我好进来。🔊🔊

verb

🔊/lætʃ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they latch	🔊/lætʃ/ 🔊/lætʃ/
he / she / it latches	🔊/ˈlætʃɪz/ 🔊/ˈlætʃɪz/
past simple latched	🔊/lætʃt/ 🔊/lætʃt/
past participle latched	🔊/lætʃt/ 🔊/lætʃt/
-ing form latching	🔊/ˈlætʃɪŋ/ 🔊/ˈlætʃɪŋ/

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latch something to fasten something with a latch用插销插上；用碰锁锁上
- He closed the window and latched it.他关上窗户并锁上了窗户。
Word OriginOld English læccan ‘take hold of, grasp (physically or mentally)’, of Germanic origin.