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Webster 1913 Edition

Latch

Latch

(lăch)
,
Verb.
T.
[Cf. F.
lécher
to lick (of German origin). Cf.
Lick
.]
To smear; to anoint.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Latch

,
Noun.
[OE.
lacche
, fr.
lacchen
to seize, As.
læccan
.]
1.
That which fastens or holds; a lace; a snare.
[Obs.]
Rom. of R.
2.
A movable piece which holds anything in place by entering a notch or cavity; specifically, the catch which holds a door or gate when closed, though it be not bolted.
3.
(Naut.)
A latching.
4.
A crossbow.
[Obs.]
Wright.

Latch

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Latched
(lăcht)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Latching
.]
[OE.
lacchen
. See
Latch
.
Noun.
]
1.
To catch so as to hold.
[Obs.]
Those that remained threw darts at our men, and
latching
our darts, sent them again at us.
Golding.
2.
To catch or fasten by means of a latch.
The door was only
latched
.
Locke.

Webster 1828 Edition

Latch

LATCH

,
Noun.
[L. ligula, from ligo, to tie, and with English lock. L. laqueus, from which we have lace, may belong to the same root. The primary sense of the root is to catch, to close, stop or make fast.]
1.
A small piece of iron or wood used to fasten a door.
2.
A small line like a loop, used to lace the bonnets to the courses, or the drabblers to the bonnets.

LATCH

, v.t.
1.
To fasten with a latch; to fasten.
2.
To smear. [Not used.]

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