lurch

About 0.53 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun A sudden or unsteady movement.

   the lurch of a ship, or of a drunkard

2. verb To make such a sudden, unsteady movement.
3. verb To swallow or eat greedily; to devour; hence, to swallow up.
4. verb To evade by stooping; to lurk; lie in wait; go about in a sneaking way.
5. verb To take by surprise; to unexpectedly detain.
6. verb To rob.
7. noun A lift or heave.
8. noun A predicament or difficult situation.

   to leave someone in the lurch

Similar words

reel stagger stumble swag pitching prowl desolate forsake abandon lunge

Often followed by

of and to in forward by as from into

Word family

lurched lurches lurching