Word
lurch
US/ˈɫɝtʃ/
UK/lˈɜːtʃ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a sudden, uncontrolled movement to one side. You often use this to describe how a car or boat moves when it starts or stops suddenly.
n. a sudden, uncontrolled, or jerky movement to one side. Often describes the physical motion of a vehicle or the abrupt shift in a situation.
Examples
“The car gave a sudden lurch as it started moving.”
“The boat took a sharp lurch to the left as a large wave crashed against the side.”
“The economy took a sudden lurch downward when the central bank announced an unexpected increase in interest rates, catching investors off guard.”
Examples
simple
“The car gave a sudden lurch as it started moving.”
contextual
“The boat took a sharp lurch to the left as a large wave crashed against the side.”
complex
“The economy took a sudden lurch downward when the central bank announced an unexpected increase in interest rates, catching investors off guard.”
Real-World Examples
“The voice on the end of the phone made Yusron Azzahidi's stomach lurch.” 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”).
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).
From Middle English lorchen, variant of Middle English lurken (“to lurk”). More at lurk.
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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