verb
Meaning 1
To grasp firmly; to become attached to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
latch on
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
verb
Meaning 2
To begin to understand something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
understand, usually after some initial difficulty
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- She didn't know what her classmates were plotting but finally caught on
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: catch on, get wise, get onto, tumble, cotton on, twig, get it
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: grok, get the picture, comprehend, savvy, dig, grasp, compass, apprehend
verb
Meaning 4
adopt
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- take up new ideas
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: take up, fasten on, hook on, seize on
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: espouse, embrace, adopt, sweep up
verb
Meaning 5
take hold of or attach to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The biochip latches onto the genes
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: grasp, hold on
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
13 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- German: festhalten — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: ergreifen — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: fassen — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: erfassen — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: packen — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: anhängen — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: einklinken — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: andocken — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: anlegen — to grasp; to become attached to
- German: kapieren — to grasp; to understand
- German: verstehen — to grasp; to understand
- German: mitkriegen — to grasp; to understand
- German: erfassen — to grasp; to understand