Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LATCH, n. [Fr. loquet; Arm. licqed or clicqed, coinciding with L. ligula, from ligo, to tie, and with English lock, Sax. læccan, to catch. The G. klinke, D. klink, coincide with Fr. clenche, which, if n is casual, are the Arm. clicqed, Eng. to clinch. The same word in W. is clicied, a latch, and the It. laccio, a snare, L. laqueus, from which we have lace, may belong to the same root. The primary sense of the root is to catch, to close, stop or make fast.]

1. A small piece of iron or wood used to fasten a door. – Gay.
2. A small line like a loop, used to lace the bonnets to the courses, or the drabblers to the bonnets. – Dict.