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Latch vs Deadlatch - What's the difference?

latch | deadlatch |

As nouns the difference between latch and deadlatch

is that latch is a fastening for a door that has a bar that fits into a notch or slot, and is lifted by a lever or string from either side while deadlatch is a kind of latch whose bolt may be locked by a detent so that it can not be opened from the inside by the handle, or from the outside by the latch key.

As a verb latch

is to close or lock as if with a latch.

latch

English

(wikipedia latch)

Etymology 1

(etyl) .

Noun

(es)
  • A fastening for a door that has a bar that fits into a notch or slot, and is lifted by a lever or string from either side.
  • * 1912 : (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 4
    • The cleverly constructed latch which Clayton had made for the door had sprung as Kerchak passed out; nor could the apes find means of ingress through the heavily barred windows.
  • A flip-flop electronic circuit
  • (obsolete) A latching.
  • (obsolete) A crossbow.
  • (obsolete) That which fastens or holds; a lace; a snare.
    • Derived terms
    * on the latch

    Verb

    (es)
  • To close or lock as if with a latch
  • To catch; lay hold of
  • :* Where hearing should not latch them. — Shakespeare, MacBeth , Act IV
    • Derived terms
    * latch on * latch on to * latch onto

    Etymology 2

    Compare (etyl) .

    Verb

    (es)
  • (obsolete) To smear; to anoint.
    • (Shakespeare)

    deadlatch

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • A kind of latch whose bolt may be locked by a detent so that it can not be opened from the inside by the handle, or from the outside by the latch key.
    • (Webster 1913)