A hasp is a metal fastening that works like a simple lock. It has two main parts: a hinged strap with a slot in it, and a loop or staple. The strap swings over the loop, and then you slide a padlock through both pieces to secure them together.

You'll find hasps on shed doors, old trunks, toolboxes, and gates. Before combination locks and electronic keypads, hasps with padlocks were the standard way to secure things. The hasp itself doesn't lock anything: it just creates a strong loop that a padlock can pass through.

Picture a wooden chest in your garage. The hasp is screwed to the lid on one side. When you close the chest, you fold the metal strap over a matching loop screwed to the front. Snap a padlock through the hole, and nobody can open your chest without the key. The hasp holds everything in place while the padlock provides the actual security.

The word sounds old-fashioned because hasps are old-fashioned, though they're still common in places where you need simple, rugged security that works without batteries or codes.