lurch

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈlərch 

lurched; lurching; lurches

intransitive verb

1

: to move with a lurch

suddenly lurched forward

also : stagger

has lurched from crisis to crisis

Jere Longman

2

: to roll or tip abruptly : pitch

lurch

2 of 5

noun (1)

1

: an abrupt jerking, swaying, or tipping movement

the car moved forward with a lurch

also : stagger sense 2

2

: a sudden roll of a ship to one side

lurch

3 of 5

noun (2)

: a decisive defeat in which an opponent wins a game by more than double the defeated player's score especially in cribbage

lurch

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verb (2)

lurched; lurching; lurches

transitive verb

1

: to defeat by a lurch (as in cribbage)

2

archaic : to leave in the lurch

lurch

5 of 5

verb (3)

lurched; lurching; lurches

intransitive verb

dialectal, chiefly England : to loiter about a place furtively : prowl

transitive verb

1

archaic : cheat

2

obsolete : steal

Phrases

in the lurch

: in a vulnerable and unsupported position

At the peak of the noonday rush the cashier stalked out and left him in the lurch.

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• careen
• pitch
• rock
• roll
• seesaw
• sway
• toss
• wobble
• wabble

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2) and Verb (2)

Middle French lourche, adjective, defeated by a lurch, deceived

Verb (3)

Middle English lorchen, probably alteration of lurken to lurk

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (1)

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1598, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

circa 1651, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing lurch

• leave (someone) in the lurch
• in the lurch

• leave (someone) in the lurch
• in the lurch

Kids Definition

lurch 1 of 3

noun

ˈlərch 

: an overwhelming defeat in a game (as cribbage)

in the lurch

: in a defenseless position

lurch

2 of 3

noun

1

: a sudden roll of a ship to one side

2

: a sudden jerking, swaying, or tipping movement

the car gave a lurch

also : a staggering gait

lurch

3 of 3

verb

1

: to roll or tip suddenly

2

: to move with a lurch

suddenly lurched forward

also : stagger entry 1 sense 1