Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Sense: 1
Date: 1800-1900
Origin: Origin unknown.
Sense: 2
Date: 1500-1600
Origin: lurch 'defeat in the card game cribbage' (16-21 centuries), perhaps from early French lourche a game similar to backgammon

lurch

2 noun
     
lurch2 [countable]
1 a sudden movement:
The train gave a violent lurch.
2

leave somebody in the lurch

to leave someone at a time when you should stay and help them
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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