Latch
Old English læccan ‘take hold of, grasp (physically or mentally’), of Germanic origin.
wiktionary
From Middle English lacchen(“to seize, catch, grasp”, verb), from Old English læċċan(“to grasp, take hold of, catch, seize”), from Proto-Germanic *lakjaną, *lakwijaną, *lakkijaną(“to seize”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂g-, *(s)leh₂gʷ-(“to take, seize”). Cognate with Middle Dutch lakken(“to grasp, catch”).
From Middle English latche, lacche(“a latch; a trap”), from lacchen(“to seize, catch, grasp”), from Old English læċċan(“to grasp, take hold of, catch, seize”). See above for more.
Compare French lécher(“to lick”).
etymonline
latch (v.)
Old English læccan "to grasp or seize, catch hold of," also "comprehend," from Proto-Germanic *lakkijanan. Not found in other Germanic languages; according to Watkins probably from PIE *(s)lagw- "to seize" (see lemma). In its original sense the verb was paralleled and then replaced by French import catch (v.). Meaning "to fasten with a latch" is mid-15c. Related: Latched; latching.
latch (n.)
"device for catching and retaining," especially "a fastening for a door," late 13c., probably from latch (v.).
