on the latch Definition

latch
noun latches

1. A door catch consisting of a bar which is lowered or raised from its notch by a lever or string.
2. A door lock by which a door may be opened from the inside using a handle, and from the outside by using a key.

verb

tr & intr
latches, latched, latching
1. To fasten or be fastened with a latch.

Idiom: on the latch

Said of a door: shut but not locked; able to be opened by the latch.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon læccan.

Phrasal Verb: latch on

To understand.

Phrasal Verb: latch on to someone

To become closely attached to them, often without the person concerned wanting such closeness.

Phrasal Verb: latch on to something

To cling to it, often obsessively.
Example: He latched on to the idea of buying a sports car
To realize its significance.