lurch

¹

[ lurch ]

noun

1. an act or instance of swaying abruptly.
2. an awkward, swaying or staggering motion or gait.
3. a sudden tip or roll to one side, as of a ship or a staggering person.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a lurch; move with lurches; stagger:

   The wounded man lurched across the room.

   Synonyms: totter, reel, lunge

2. (of a ship) to roll or pitch suddenly.

lurch

²

[ lurch ]

noun

1. a situation at the close of various games in which the loser scores nothing or is far behind the opponent.

lurch

³

[ lurch ]

verb (used without object)

1. British Dialect. to lurk near a place; prowl.

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to do out of; defraud; cheat.
2. Obsolete. to acquire through underhanded means; steal; filch.

noun

1. Archaic. the act of lurking or state of watchfulness.

lurch

¹

/ lɜːtʃ /

verb

1. to lean or pitch suddenly to one side
2. to stagger or sway

noun

1. the act or an instance of lurching

lurch

²

/ lɜːtʃ /

noun

1. leave someone in the lurch
   to desert someone in trouble
2. cribbage the state of a losing player with less than 30 points at the end of a game (esp in the phrase in the lurch )

lurch

³

/ lɜːtʃ /

verb

1. archaic.
   intr to prowl or steal about suspiciously

Derived Forms

• ˈlurching, adjective

Other Words From

• lurching·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of lurch¹

First recorded in 1800–10; origin uncertain

Origin of lurch²

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French lourche a game, noun use of lourche (adjective) “defeated,” from a Germanic language; compare Middle High German lurz “left (hand); wrong,” lürzen “to deceive,” Old English belyrtan “to deceive”

Origin of lurch³

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English lorchen “to skulk,” apparently variant of lurken lurk

Word History and Origins

Origin of lurch¹

C19: origin unknown

Origin of lurch²

C16: from French lourche a game similar to backgammon, apparently from lourche (adj) deceived, probably of Germanic origin

Origin of lurch³

C15: perhaps a variant of lurk

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. leave in the lurch, to leave in an uncomfortable or desperate situation; desert in time of trouble:

   Our best salesperson left us in the lurch at the peak of the busy season.

More idioms and phrases containing lurch

see leave in the lurch .

Example Sentences

Now, former clients tell the BBC they have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket and “in the lurch” by authorities, while Archie has declared himself bankrupt.

From BBC

She said differences in childcare across the border were frustrating and she felt she had been left in the lurch.

From BBC

Over and over again, they lurch up from their shallow graves for another round.

From Slate

Dame Rachel de Souza's report into the issue said the system has failed to keep up with rising demand, leaving families "in the lurch" and expected to cope by themselves while they wait.

From BBC

Rural voters’ lurch toward the Republican Party is understood in part to be a result of that policy.

From Slate

Related Words

• bumble
• careen
• falter
• flounder
• heave
• jerk
• lean
• reel
• seesaw
• stagger
• stumble
• sway
• teeter
• tilt
• totter
• wallow
• wobble