Etymology

From draw +‎ latchCategory:English compound terms#DRAWLATCH.

Noun

drawlatch (plural drawlatches)Category:English lemmas#DRAWLATCHCategory:English nouns#DRAWLATCHCategory:English countable nouns#DRAWLATCHCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#DRAWLATCHCategory:Pages with entries#DRAWLATCHCategory:Pages with 1 entry#DRAWLATCH

1. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#DRAWLATCH) A housebreaker or thief
2. A fastener consisting of a latch body mounted on one side of a door or lid, and a hook or catch mounted on the opposite side. When the latch is engaged, the hook or catch pulls the two sides tightly together, creating a secure closure.

References

• “drawlatch”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.