latch

noun

/lætʃ/

Idioms

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。
- She lifted the latch and went into the garden.她拉开门闩，走进花园。
- She tried the latch, but the door wouldn't open.她试了试门闩，但门打不开。
(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。

词源Old 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/

动词形式

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/

Phrasal Verbs

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，锁上了。
词源Old English læccan ‘take hold of, grasp (physically or mentally)’, of Germanic origin.