Meaning & use
hasp
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A hinged metal strap that fits over a loop and is fixed in place with a padlock or pin to keep a door or lid shut.
Grammar: Takes a plural: hasps; often paired with a staple and padlock.
Patterns
- a hasp and staple
- a hasp on something
He slid the padlock through the hasp and snapped it shut.
The shed door had a rusty iron hasp.
Screw the hasp to the door frame before adding the lock.
verbtransitiveold-fashioned
To fasten something with a hasp.
Grammar: Takes an object: hasp the door.
Patterns
- hasp something shut
He hasped the gate before leaving the farm.
She hasped the chest and put the key away.
The barn was hasped for the winter.
Word forms
| plural | hasps |
|---|---|
| third person singular | hasps |
| past tense | hasped |
| -ing form | hasping |
Common combinations
- hasp and staple
- The gate closed with a hasp and staple.
- padlock and hasp
- A padlock and hasp secured the shed.
- rusty hasp
- The rusty hasp was stiff to turn.
- fit a hasp
- He fitted a hasp to the toolbox.
- lift the hasp
- She lifted the hasp and opened the chest.
Synonyms and how they differ
- latch
- A latch can usually be opened by hand without a key, while a hasp is designed to take a padlock.
- clasp
- Clasp is a smaller fastener, such as on a bag or necklace.
- hook
- A hook catches a loop but does not swing over a staple like a hasp.
- bolt
- A bolt slides a bar across, whereas a hasp swings over a loop.
Word family
Commonly confused: hasp or asp? hasp or clasp?
hasp vs asp
An asp is a small venomous snake, unrelated to the fastener.
hasp vs clasp
A clasp is a fastener that grips, such as on a necklace, while a hasp covers a loop for a lock.
Practice
To lock the garden shed, he put a padlock through the ___ on the door.
Choose one answer.
A hasp is the hinged strap that takes a padlock. A clasp is a smaller fastener and does not usually work with a shed door lock.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hasp”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.