I. ˈlərch verb
Etymology: Middle English lorchen, probably alteration of lurken to lurk
Date: 15th century
intransitive verb
dialect chiefly England : to loiter about a place furtively : prowl
transitive verb
1. obsolete : steal
2. archaic : cheat
II. noun
Etymology: Middle French lourche, adjective, defeated by a lurch, deceived
Date: 1598
: a decisive defeat in which an opponent wins a game by more than double the defeated player's score especially in cribbage
•
- in the lurch
III. transitive verb
Date: circa 1651
1. archaic : to leave in the lurch
2. : to defeat by a lurch (as in cribbage)
IV. noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1805
1. : a sudden roll of a ship to one side
2. : an abrupt jerking, swaying, or tipping movement
the car moved forward with a lurch
also : stagger 2
V. intransitive verb
Date: circa 1828
1. : to roll or tip abruptly : pitch
2. : to move with a lurch
suddenly lurch ed forward
also : stagger
has lurch ed from crisis to crisis — Jere Longman