latch\ on

latch\ on
• latch on
• hitch onto
v informal
1. To get hold of; grasp or grab; catch.

He looked for something to latch onto and keep from falling.

The football player latched onto a pass.

2. slang
To get into your possession.

The banker latched onto a thousand shares of stock.

3. slang
To understand.

The teacher explained the idea of jet engines until the students latched onto it.

Syn.: catch on
4. informal To keep; to hold.

The poor woman latched onto the little money she had left.

5. slang
To stay with; not leave.

Marie and Dick wanted to go to the movies by themselves, but Mane's little brother latched onto them.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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  • latch — [lach] n. [ME lacche < lacchen, to seize, catch hold of < OE læccan < IE base * (s)lagw , to grasp, seize > Gr lazesthai, to take, lambanein, to seize] 1. a fastening for a door or gate, esp. one capable of being worked from either… …   English World dictionary

  • latch — latch; un·latch; latch·et; pot·latch; ko·latch; …   English syllables

  • Latch — Latch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Latched} (l[a^]cht); p. pr. & vb. n. {Latching}.] [OE. lacchen. See {Latch}. n.] 1. To catch so as to hold. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Those that remained threw darts at our men, and latching our darts, sent them again at… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • latch on — (of a breastfeeding baby) manage to get its mouth into the correct position around the nipple. → latch latch on informal understand the meaning of something. → latch …   English new terms dictionary

  • Latch — (l[a^]ch), v. t. [Cf. F. l[ e]cher to lick (of German origin). Cf. {Lick}.] To smear; to anoint. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Latch — Latch, n. [OE. lacche, fr. lacchen to seize, As. l[ae]ccan.] 1. That which fastens or holds; a lace; a snare. [Obs.] Rom. of R. [1913 Webster] 2. A movable piece which holds anything in place by entering a notch or cavity; specifically, the catch …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Latch — [lætʃ] das; , e <aus engl. latch »Riegel«> ↑Flipflop zur Speicherung von Informationen, bei dem Datenübernahme erfolgt, wenn am Takteingang ein aktives Signal vorliegt (EDV) …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • latch — [n] lock bar, bolt, catch, clamp, fastening, hasp, hook, padlock; concepts 445,499 Ant. key latch [v] fasten with lock bar, bolt, cinch, close, close up, lock, make fast, secure; concept 85 Ant. loose, loosen, unfasten, unlatch, unlock …   New thesaurus

  • latch on to — (informal) 1. To attach oneself to 2. To gain comprehension of • • • Main Entry: ↑latch …   Useful english dictionary

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