lurch — to move suddenly and unsteadily forward or to one side
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to move suddenly and unsteadily forward or to one side
Pronunciation (IPA): /lɜːrtʃ/
Example Sentences
- My friend promised to help me move, but he left me in the lurch and went on vacation instead.
- The zombie lurched toward the ice cream truck, scaring all the children away.
- The economy lurched from one crisis to another throughout the decade.
lurch
VERB[/lɜːrtʃ/]
to move suddenly and unsteadily forward or to one side
The old bus gave a sudden lurch, sending coffee flying everywhere.
He lurches past the church while they search within!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'lurch' likely comes from a 16th-century nautical term related to the Dutch word 'lurk' or German 'lurchen,' originally describing the sudden tilting motion of a ship, then generalized to mean any abrupt, unsteady movement.
Breakdown
lurch (root word) = a single morpheme with no further productive breakdown; the word stands as an indivisible unit in modern English
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My friend promised to help me move, but he left me in the lurch and went on vacation instead.”
“The zombie lurched toward the ice cream truck, scaring all the children away.”
“The economy lurched from one crisis to another throughout the decade.”
“She lurched out of bed when the alarm clock fell and crashed on the floor.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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