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 Word Forms

• 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 turned out to be a freshly bricked-up doorway – an attempt to hide what lurked behind.

From BBC

Over the past eight years most of what I see from Ovechkin is him lurking in the circle and making a shot.

From Los Angeles Times

Although the sediment itself is not chemically hazardous, beachgoers are still warned to beware of any physical debris that may lurk on the sand and in the water.

From Los Angeles Times

But underneath those waves is a deep ocean of hidden intent, in which lurks the power to quell dissent on any topic if the government is successful in smashing free speech on this topic.

From Los Angeles Times

McNamara: I have long been a fan of creator Mike White’s dark humor — his ability to find grace in chaos and see the corruption lurking beneath a placid and beautiful surface.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• creep
• crouch
• prowl
• skulk