lurk

[ lurk ]

verb (used without object)

1. to lie or wait in concealment, as a person in ambush; remain in or around a place secretly or furtively.
2. to go furtively; slink; steal.
3. to exist unperceived or unsuspected.
4. Chiefly Computers. to read or observe an ongoing discussion without participating in it, as on a message board.

noun

, Australian Informal.

1. an underhand scheme; dodge.
2. an easy, somewhat lazy or unethical way of earning a living, performing a task, etc.
3. a hideout.

lurk

/ lɜːk /

verb

1. to move stealthily or be concealed, esp for evil purposes
2. to be present in an unobtrusive way; go unnoticed
3. to read messages posted on an electronic network without contributing messages oneself

noun

1. slang.
   a scheme or stratagem for success

Derived Forms

• ˈlurker, noun

Other Words From

• lurker noun
• lurking noun
• lurking·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of lurk¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English lurken, frequentative of lower ²; compare Norwegian lurka “to sneak away”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lurk¹

C13: probably frequentative of lour ; compare Middle Dutch loeren to lie in wait

Synonym Study

Lurk, skulk, sneak, prowl suggest avoiding observation, often because of a sinister purpose. To lurk is to lie in wait for someone or to hide about a place, often without motion, for periods of time. Skulk suggests cowardliness and stealth of movement. Sneak emphasizes the attempt to avoid being seen. It has connotations of slinking and of an abject meanness of manner, whether there exists a sinister intent or the desire to avoid punishment for some misdeed. Prowl implies the definite purpose of seeking for prey; it suggests continuous action in roaming or wandering, slowly and quietly but watchfully, as a cat that is hunting mice.

Example Sentences

It’s no Field of Dreams, this bumpy patch of sun-baked earth with faded chalk lines, no bleachers, not a blade of grass and a drooping line of wire separating the outfield from houses where scraggly canines lurk.

From Los Angeles Times

Or maybe supermassive – even overmassive – black holes lurk at the cores of these Little Red Dots.

From Salon

The volunteers may also issue warnings about the many hazards that lurk in desert areas: Rattlesnakes, while not aggressive, tend to blend in with the rust-colored sand and boulders.

From Los Angeles Times

American third seeds Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul lurk as potential opponents, but they must come through their second-round match against Dutch pair Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojen on Wednesday.

From BBC

“The Exorcism” starts from an instantly compelling premise: On the set of a horror movie about an exorcist, demons lurk.

From New York Times

Related Words

• creep
• crouch
• prowl
• skulk