latch onto (someone or something)
latch onto (someone or something)
1. To understand or make sense of something. Once he latched onto the instructions in the manual, he was able to complete the repair.
2. To gain or obtain something. I need to latch onto a birthday card before the party on Saturday.
3. To become closely involved with a person or group. I latched onto the one friend I'd made at orientation and followed her around the cafeteria.
See also: latch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
latch onto something
1. Fig. to obtain something. (See also latch on(to someone or something).) I have to latch onto a hundred bucks by Friday night. I latched onto a good book about repairing plumbing.
2. Fig. to begin to understand something. When Fred finally latched onto the principles of algebra, he began to get better grades. Sue doesn't quite latch onto the proper stance in golf.
See also: latch
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
latch onto
Also, latch on to.
1. Get hold of, grasp; also, understand, grasp mentally. For example, They latched onto a fortune in the fur trade, or Carol quickly latched on to how the sewing machine works. [c. 1930]
2. Attach oneself to, join in with, as in Rob didn't know the way so he latched on to one of the older children. [c. 1930]
See also: latch
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- latch onto
- fall in place
- fall in(to) place
- fall into place
- fall, drop, etc. into place
- drop into place
- illustrate
- illustrate (something) with (something)
- illustrate with
- bellow out