LATCH

I. intransitive verb Etymology: Middle English lachen, from Old English læccan; perhaps akin to Greek lambanein to take, seize Date: 13th century to lay hold with or as if with the hands or arms, to associate oneself intimately and often artfully, II. noun Date: 13th century any of various devices in which mating mechanical parts engage to fasten but usually not to lock something:, a fastener (as for a door) consisting essentially of a pivoted bar that falls into a notch, a fastener (as for a door) in which a spring slides a bolt into a hole, III. transitive verb Date: 15th century to make fast with or as if with a ~