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View synonyms for

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: , ,
  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

/ ɜːʃ /

verb

  1. to lean or pitch suddenly to one side

  2. to stagger or sway

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or an instance of lurching

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lurch

2

/ ɜːʃ /

noun

  1. 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 )

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lurch

3

/ ɜːʃ /

verb

  1. archaic(intr) to prowl or steal about suspiciously

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • lurchingly adverb
  • ˈܰ󾱲Բ adjective
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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,” ü “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
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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
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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.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Then, at a bend in the road, one of the vehicles lurched forward, cornering Moose Wala's SUV against a wall.

From

Although he says the birth of his son was "the happiest moment of my life", he soon felt as though he was leaving his partner "in the lurch".

From

Most of those around the car managed to scatter as it lurched forward, picking up speed - but not everyone got out of the way.

From

After opening fire, the presumed killer runs off on foot against traffic down the street as the targeted car lurches forward, according to the grainy video.

From

As the second Trump administration lurches into its third month, moving fast and breaking government, I’ve been studying what American writers have suggested would occur if a demagogue were elected president.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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ܰçlurcher