A clasp or fastening device consisting of a metal plate with a hinged arm that locks over a staple, commonly used to secure doors, boxes, or chests.
From Old English 'hæpse' and Middle Dutch 'haspe,' likely of Germanic origin. The word has been used for centuries to describe mechanical fastening devices, with the modern form stabilizing by the Middle Ages.
The hasp is one of humanity's oldest security technologies—so simple and elegant that it's barely changed in 1,000 years. You'll still find hasps on medieval castle doors, treasure chests in museums, and garden gates today, proving that sometimes the best inventions are timeless.
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