lurch

1
[ lurch ]
/ lɜrtʃ /

noun

an act or instance of swaying abruptly.
a sudden tip or roll to one side, as of a ship or a staggering person.
an awkward, swaying or staggering motion or gait.

verb (used without object)

(of a ship) to roll or pitch suddenly.
to make a lurch; move with lurches; stagger: The wounded man lurched across the room.

Origin of lurch

1
First recorded in 1760–70; origin uncertain

OTHER WORDS FROM lurch

lurch·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for lurching (2 of 2)

lurch 3
[ lurch ]
/ lɜrtʃ /

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to do out of; defraud; cheat.
Obsolete. to acquire through underhanded means; steal; filch.

verb (used without object)

British Dialect. to lurk near a place; prowl.

noun

Archaic. the act of lurking or state of watchfulness.

Origin of lurch

3
1375–1425; late Middle English lorchen, apparently variant of lurken to lurk

Example sentences from the Web for lurching

British Dictionary definitions for lurching (1 of 3)

lurch 1
/ (lɜːtʃ) /

verb (intr)

to lean or pitch suddenly to one side
to stagger or sway

noun

the act or an instance of lurching

Derived forms of lurch

lurching, adjective

Word Origin for lurch

C19: origin unknown

British Dictionary definitions for lurching (2 of 3)

lurch 2
/ (lɜːtʃ) /

noun

leave someone in the lurch to desert someone in trouble
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)

Word Origin for lurch

C16: from French lourche a game similar to backgammon, apparently from lourche (adj) deceived, probably of Germanic origin

British Dictionary definitions for lurching (3 of 3)

lurch 3
/ (lɜːtʃ) /

verb

(intr) archaic, or dialect to prowl or steal about suspiciously

Word Origin for lurch

C15: perhaps a variant of lurk

Idioms and Phrases with lurching

lurch

see leave in the lurch.