Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

lurch

/lɜːt͡ʃ/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about lurch at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An unsteady uneven gait.
A decisive defeat in a game (especially in cribbage).
Abrupt up-and-down motion (as caused by a ship or other conveyance).
the pitching and tossing was quite exciting

verb

Walk as if unable to control one's movements.
The drunken man staggered into the room
Move abruptly.
The ship suddenly lurched to the left
Move slowly and unsteadily.
The truck lurched down the road

Origin

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 Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word