lurch
nounverbverbverbnounnounverbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//lɜːt͡ʃ//
- United States//lɜɹt͡ʃ//
A sudden or unsteady movement.
noun
- 1
A sudden or unsteady movement.
the lurch of a ship, or of a drunkard
The ship was driving rapidly towards the rocky coast, against which she must have been dashed to pieces had she kept afloat a few minutes longer, but she gave a lurch and went down, rose again for an instant, and with another lurch sank, and all was over,—and there were nearly two hundred and fifty human beings struggling with the waves.
Yet I hoped by grouting at the earth below it to be able to dislodge the stone at the side; but while I was considering how best to begin, the candle flickered, the wick gave a sudden lurch to one side, and I was left in darkness.
Etymology
Originally a nautical term, found in lee-larches (“the sudden and violent rolls of a ship to the leeward in high seas”), of unknown origin. Possibly the same as lurch (“to move stealthily, evade by stooping”) (see below), or from French lâcher (“to let go”).
verb
- 1
To make such a sudden, unsteady movement.
It occurred to me there was no time to lose, and dodging the boom as it once more lurched across the deck, I slipped aft and down the companion stairs into the cabin.
The incident made it think, apparently, that the neighborhood was dangerous, for it slowly lurched off through the wood, followed by its mate and its three enormous infants.
Number One lurched forward, his arms outstretched toward the horror stricken girl.
He was looking for trouble. He lurched against a table at which three soldiers were sitting and knocked over a glass of beer.
verb
- 1
obsoleteTo swallow or eat greedily; to devour; hence, to swallow up.
Too far off from great cities, which may hinder business; too near them, which lurcheth all provisions, and maketh everything dear.
Etymology
From Middle English *lurchen (recorded only in Middle English lurcare, lurcard (“glutton”)), from Old French *lurcher, from Latin lurcō (“eat greedily, guzzle”), of uncertain origin. Compare Middle High German slurken (“to slurp”) (whence German schlurken).
verb
- 1
To evade by stooping; to lurk; lie in wait; go about in a sneaking way.
- 2
To take by surprise; to unexpectedly detain.
- 3
obsoleteTo rob.
And in the brunt of seventeen battles since / He lurched all swords of the garland.
Etymology
From Middle English lorchen, variant of Middle English lurken (“to lurk”). More at lurk.
noun
- 1
A lift or heave.
noun
- 1
A predicament or difficult situation.
to leave someone in the lurch
- 2
An old game played with dice and counters; a variety of the game of tables.
- 3
A double score in cribbage for the winner when their adversary has not yet pegged their 31st hole.
August 14, 1784, Horace Walpole, letter to the Hon. H. S. Conway Lady Blandford has cried her eyes out on losing a lurch.
Etymology
From Middle English *lurche (implied in derivative lurching), from Old French lourche (“deceived, embarrassed; also the name of a game”), from Proto-West Germanic *lort (“left; left-handed; crooked; bent; warped; underhanded; deceitful; limping”). Cognate to English lirt.
verb
- 1
To defeat in the game of cribbage with a lurch (double score as explained under noun entry).
- 2
obsoleteTo leave someone in the lurch; to cheat.
Never deceive or lurch the sincere communicant.
Forms
- plural
- lurches
- past tense
- lurched
- past participle
- lurched
- present participle
- lurching
- third person singular
- lurches
lurch · A sudden or unsteady movement.
lure · Something that tempts or attracts, especially one with a…lurking · The act of one who lurks.lush · Juicy, succulent.