latch
/lætʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /lætʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlach/ (ame, mw)
latch — 名詞
- latchsingular
- latchesplural
1. a short bar of metal or wood, attached to one side of a door or to a gate, that
門閂
閂在門上的金屬或木條
a short bar of metal or wood, attached to one side of a door or to a gate, that drops into a slot on the frame to hold it shut; you lift the bar in order to open it
Harper lifted the rusty latch on the garden gate and pushed it open.
Harper 提起花園門上生鏽的門閂，把門推開。
lift the latch on [gate]
The wind blew the kitchen door against the latch with a sharp click.
風把廚房的門吹得撞上門閂，發出清脆的喀嚓聲。
subject = inanimate (wind)
Caleb noticed that the latch on the chicken coop was broken again.
Caleb 發現雞舍上的門閂又壞了。
The old wooden latch slipped down into its slot and held the barn shut.
老舊的木製門閂滑進凹槽，把穀倉的門關得緊緊的。
文法句型
the latch on [door/gate]
lift/drop the latch
用法筆記
Subject of 'lift' / 'drop' / 'fasten' is usually a person operating the door; subject of 'click' / 'slip' is the latch itself.
常見錯誤
2. the position of a door when its latch is engaged but the door is not locked, so
虛掩
關上但未上鎖的狀態
the position of a door when its latch is engaged but the door is not locked, so that anyone can simply push it open
Tamar left the back door on the latch so her brother could come in late.
Tamar 把後門虛掩著，好讓弟弟晚一點回家可以進來。
leave [door] on the latch
In small villages, many people leave their front door on the latch all day.
在小村莊裡，許多人會把自家前門虛掩整天。
on the latch with plural subject
Karim asked the cleaner to leave the office door on the latch until five.
Karim 請清潔人員把辦公室的門虛掩到五點。
The cottage door was on the latch, so Rohan walked straight in without knocking.
小屋的門只是虛掩著，所以 Rohan 沒敲門就直接走進去。
- locked
secured with a key or bolt; the opposite state
文法句型
leave the door on the latch
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (the object): here 'latch' names a state, used only inside the fixed phrase 'on the latch'. Common in British English, less so in American English.
常見錯誤
3. a kind of door lock that snaps shut by itself when the door is closed and which
彈簧鎖
關門即扣、需外面以鑰匙開啟的鎖
a kind of door lock that snaps shut by itself when the door is closed and which you can only open from the outside using a key
Christopher fitted a new latch to the front door after the burglary last month.
Christopher 在上個月的竊案後，替前門裝了一個新的彈簧鎖。
fit a latch to [door]
The flat had only a simple latch, with no extra bolt for night-time security.
那間公寓只有一個簡單的彈簧鎖，沒有另外的門栓供夜間使用。
have a latch + no bolt
Omar realised he had left his keys inside and the latch had already snapped shut.
Omar 發現自己把鑰匙留在屋內，而彈簧鎖已經自動扣上了。
The landlord changed the latch on the main entrance after the old tenants moved out.
舊房客搬走後，房東換了大門的彈簧鎖。
- nightlatch
everyday name for the same device, especially on a front door
- Yale lock
trademark name used generically for this kind of spring-operated door lock
文法句型
fit a latch
[door] has a latch
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (a bar that drops into a slot): this sense names a self-closing key-operated lock, often fitted to the front door of a flat or house. Sometimes called a 'nightlatch' or 'Yale lock' in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
latch — 動詞
- latchpresent simple I / you / we / they
- latches3rd person singular
- latching-ing form
- latchedpast simple
1. to fasten a door, gate, or lid by lowering or sliding its latch, or (of a door)
閂上
把門或蓋子用門閂扣緊
to fasten a door, gate, or lid by lowering or sliding its latch, or (of a door) to become fastened in this way when you close it
Lucía latched the garden gate carefully before walking back into the house.
Lucía 仔細地把花園的門閂上，才走回屋裡。
transitive: latch + [gate]
The barn door swung shut and latched on its own in the strong wind.
穀倉的門在強風中自己甩上並且閂上了。
intransitive: door latched on its own
Eve latched the bedroom window before going to bed.
Eve 睡覺前把臥室的窗戶閂上。
Hari pushed the chicken-coop lid down until it latched with a quiet click.
Hari 把雞舍的蓋子壓下去，直到它輕輕一聲扣上。
- unlatch
to lift the latch and release the door
文法句型
latch [door]
[door] latches
用法筆記
Transitive use is far more common than intransitive; intransitive use describes a self-closing latch (a spring or weight returns the bar into its slot).