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lurch¹ Definition

lurch (lʉrc̸h)

intransitive verb

  1. to roll, pitch, or sway suddenly forward or to one side
  2. to stagger

Etymology: < ?

noun

a lurching movement; sudden rolling, pitching, etc.

Etymology: earlier lee-lurch < ?

lurch² Definition

lurch (lʉrc̸h)

intransitive verb

Obsolete to remain furtively near a place; lurk

Etymology: ME lorchen, var. of lurk

transitive verb

  1. Archaic to prevent (a person) from getting his fair share of something
  2. Obsolete to get by cheating, robbing, tricking, etc.

noun

Obsolete the act of lurching

lurch² Idioms

lie at (or on) the lurch

Archaic to lie in wait

lurch³ Definition

lurch (lʉrc̸h)

noun

Archaic a situation in certain card games, in which the winner has more than double the score of the loser

Etymology: Fr lourche, name of a 16th-c. game like backgammon, prob. < OFr, duped < MDu lurz, left (hand), hence unlucky, akin to MHG lërz, left, lürzen, to deceive

lurch³ Idioms

leave someone in the lurch

to leave someone in a difficult situation; leave someone in trouble and needing help

lurch Synonyms

lurch

v.

stagger, weave, sway; see reel.

leave in the lurch

leave, forsake, desert; see abandon 2.

lurch Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • give: Suddenly the ship gave an almighty lurch that threw me out my chair.
  • see: I seen the body lurch and I saw the body lurch again, I heard another shot that missed.

Adjective modifier

  • sudden: Of course, events in Russia remain critical and the potential for a sudden lurch into darkness remains.

Modifying Another Word

  • violently: As I pushed the starter button the bike lurched violently to the right.
  • wildly: The team's form lurched wildly throughout the 1908-09 season.
  • suddenly: Yes, the story lurches suddenly from school comedy to War of the Worlds mayhem.
  • forward: Frequently, the mule would lurch forward to snatch a mouthful of wild fennel.
  • about: If three sheets are loose and blowing about in the wind then the boat will lurch about like a drunken sailor.
  • back: Do you twig that these parliamentarians are not going to let us lurch back into the rut?

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • over: INVENTORY You are carrying: a spell book a silver coin a pouch The drunk stands and lurches over to you.
  • off: I hate the way you lurch off sideways into air Having read my thoughts against you.
  • out: Suddenly a Tiger lurched out of the hollow just in front of the gun.
  • up: Half an hour in the galley & I lurched up on deck to join the main group.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • up: Higgins lurched up the slope like a thunderous bear toward Mr Jones's pew.

Used with why or when

  • when: There's no heaving or lurching even when the suspension is set to its usual comfort mode.

Preposition: in

  • direction: Consider this from a disabled person's perspective, where the balance of power between patient and doctor takes an extreme lurch in one direction.

Preposition: from

  • crisis: The nation needs a solid strategy for rail to prevent Amtrak lurching from crisis to crisis.
  • side: The frame was shaking violently around them, lurching from side to side on its suspension.
  • disaster: Why do they seem to lurch from one disaster to another?

Noun used with modifier

  • stomach: He read a little of what was on the screen, and felt his stomach lurch.

Browse dictionary entries near lurch

  1. lupus vulgaris
  2. lupus erythematosus
  3. lupus
  4. lupulin
  5. lupine
  6. Lupercalia
  7. Luoyang
  8. lunulate
  9. lunula
  10. Lunt
  1. lurcher
  2. lurdan
  3. lure
  4. Lurex
  5. lurid
  6. lurk
  7. lurking
  8. Lusaka
  9. Lusatia
  10. Lusatian