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# lurch

verb (lurch, lurches, lurched, lurching); noun (a lurch, lurches)

«lurch» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (verb) To move suddenly and unsteadily, like a bus that jolts or a person who nearly falls. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#m1)
2. (noun) A sudden jerky movement. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#m2)
3. (leave someone in the lurch) To leave someone alone when they need help. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories: the ship lurched in the storm, the zombie lurched forward — the word tells the reader the movement was sudden and clumsy. In everyday life «My stomach lurched» means a sudden scary feeling. Phrases: «lurch forward», «with a lurch», «leave someone in the lurch».

### Examples

- The bus lurched forward and I grabbed the rail. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#x1)
- The ship lurched in the huge waves. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#x2)
- My stomach lurched when I saw how high we were. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#x3)
- The car stopped with a lurch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#x4)
- He lurched across the room half asleep. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#x5)
- Don't leave your partner in the lurch — finish your part of the project. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#x6)
- At that moment the ship gave a great lurch forward into the waves. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/#x7)

### Note

Verb: lurched, lurching; plural noun: lurches. Similar: jolt, jerk, stagger. «Leave in the lurch» is an idiom; it has nothing to do with movement.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «lurch» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lurch/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«lurch» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/lurch.html) on Mova free.