lurch 
lurch 1 (U'rch), r. i. [An annihilated form of 
lurk, as church of kirk, birch of birk, etc.: see 
//<-.] 1. To lie in concealment; lurk; move 
stealthily. 
The wolf I've teen, a fiercer game, . . . 
With lurching step arounil me prowl, 
And atop, against thu moon to howl. 
Scott, Marnilon, IL, Int. 
I- "ml of prowl ing and lurching out at night after their 
own sinful ].Ir;isuivs. Kingslrt/. 
2f. To snlk ; pout. 
Kor when he IB merry, she lurchelh and she loures, 
When he is Had she singes, or hmghcs it out liy houres. 
1'ittlenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 176. 
3. To shift; dodge; play tricks. 
I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of Ood on the left 
hand and hiding mine honour In my necessity, am fain to 
shuttle, to hedge, and to lurch. 
Shalt., SI. W. of W., a 2. 26. 
4. To roll or sway suddenly to one side, or from 
side to side, as a ship in a heavy sea or a car- 
riage on a rough road. 
The left side of the wagon lurched downwards, the horse 
having, in the darkness, taken them over the side of the 
road. J. Hawthorne, Dust, p. 211. 
5. To walk with an uneven or shifting gait; 
stagger : as, he went lurching down the street. 
lurch 1 (lerch), n. [< lurch 1 , t;.] 1. A sudden 
lateral movement or swaying to one side, as of 
a ship, a carriage, or a staggering person. 
A slight Ivrchot the steamer caused her to loose her hold 
of the garment. B. Taylor, Lands of the Saracen, p. 166. 
AB the carriage swayed from side to side, I expected, at 
every lurch, that the whole party would be upset. 
J. (front. Adventures of an Aide-de-Camp, 1st sen, IT. 
Hence 2. Any sudden or unexpected shift or 
change of position. 
Would it be desirable to have the policy of the nation set- 
tled in this sense for four years by a lurch of the Irish vote 
in i In- last two weeks of the campaign? 
The Nation, Nov. 8, 1888. 
3. An inclination; disposition; leaning. [U.S.] 
She has a natural lurch for It, and It conies easy to her. 
Hits Cummim, Lamplighter. (Encyc. Diet.) 
Lee lurch, ft sudden Jerky roll of a ship to the leeward, as 
when a heavy sea strikes her on the weather side. To lie 
upon the lurch or at lurcht, to lie in ambush; lurk; be 
on the watch. 
He chiefly laboured to be thought a sayer of good things ; 
and by frequent attempts was now and then successful, for 
he ever lay upon the lurch. Qoldtmith, Kichard Nash. 
lurch 2 ! (lerch), v. t. [< OF. 'lurcher, < L. 
lurcare, litrcari, ML. also litrchari, eat vora- 
ciously, devour (> lurco, lurclio, a glutton, gor- 
mand).] To swallow or devour; eat up; con- 
sume. 
Too far off from great cities, which may hinder business ; 
or too near them, which lurcheth all provisions, and makcth 
everything dear. Bacon, Building (ed. 1887). 
lurch 3 (lerch), n. [Formerly also lurche; = G. 
lurtsch, lurz = It. lurcio, < OF. lourche, a game so 
called, also written Fourche, as if < te, def. art., 
+ ourche, given by Cotgrave in the same sense, 
and entered as ourclie by Godefroy, who there 
gives the same example (Rabelais, iii. 12: see 
first quot. under def. 1) with the word written 
I'ourche, that he gives under lourche with the 
word written lourche. The proper form is doubt- 
less lourche; it is prob. connected with OF. 
lourche, insnared, deceived, duped.] If. An old 
game, the nature of which is unknown. 
My mind was only running upon the lurch and tric-trac. 
Urquhart, tr. of Rabelais, iii. 12. 
Whose inn Is a bowling-alley, whose books are bowls, and 
whose law-cases are lurches and rubbers. 
Dekker, Belman of London (Works, ed. Grosart, iii. 1S2). 
2. In cnbbage, the position of a player when his 
opponent has won every point (61 holes) before 
he himself has made 30 holes; also, the state 
of the game under these circumstances; a dou- 
ble game. 
By two of my table-men in the corner-point I hare gained 
the lurch. UrquAart, tr. of Rabelais, ii. 12. 
Lady has cried her eyes out on losing a lurch, and 
almost her wig. Waljmle, Letters, IV. 371. 
3f. [< lurch 3 , r.] A cheat; a swindle. 
All such lurches, gripes, and squeezes as may be wrung 
oat by the list of extortion. Middleton, Black Book. 
To leave In the lurch, (at) Originally, to leave (a per- 
son) playing at crililrage in the position called the lurch. 
See def. 2. 
11 demeura lourche [F.], he was left in the lurch. 
Cotgrave. 
(6) To leave suddenly or unexpectedly in an embarrassing 
predicament. 
Robin made them haste away. 
And left the tinker in the lurch, 
For the great shot to pay. 
Robin Hoott anil the Tinker (Child's Ballads, V. >;). 
Weary will lie the latter half of my pilgrimage, if you 
leave me in the lurch .' Sydney Smith, in Lady Holland, xcv. 
lurch 3 (lerch), i'. t. [< liirrli*. . In dcfs. 2, 3, 4, 
perhaps in part of other origin; cf. OF. lourcbr, 
insnared, deceived, duped. Some confusion 
also with lurch 1 , v., has prob. affected the uses 
of this verb.] 1. To win a double game in 
cribbage, piquet, etc. 2t. To leave in the 
lurch; disappoint. 
This Is a sure rule, that will never deceive or lurch the 
sincere communicant. South, .Sermons. 
Each wordc (me thought) did wound me so, 
Each lonke did lurche my herte. 
Turberville, Tragical Tales (1587). (Kara.) 
3. To forestall; rob; swindle; cheat. [Ar- 
chaic.] 
You have lurched your friends of the better half of the 
garland by concealing this part of the plot. 
/;. Jonson, Epicome, v. 1. 
Like villainous cheating bowlers, they lurched me of two 
of my best limbs, viz. my right arm and right leg. 
Middleton, Father Hubhard's Tales. 
And 'tis right of his office poor laymen to lurch, 
Who Infringe the domains of our good mother Church. 
Scott, L. of the I.., vi 6. 
4f. To capture criminally or dishonestly; ap- 
propriate ; steal. 
The fond conceit of something like a Dnke of Venice, 
put lately Into many men's heads by some one or other 
subtilely driving on under that notion his own ambitions 
ends to lurch a crown. Milton, Free Commonwealth. 
lurcher 1 (ler'cher), . [< lurch 1 + er 1 .'} 1. 
One who lies in wait or lurks ; one who watches, 
as to entrap or steal ; a poacher. 
Swift from his prey the scudding lurcher files. 
Unii. Trivia, ill. 64. 
Some, however, with outward bravade, but inward trem- 
blings, went searching along the walls and behind the 
posts for some lurcher. Brooke, Fool of Quality, I. 101. 
2. A sort of hunting-dog, said to be a cross 
between the shepherd's dog and the greyhound, 
much used by poachers, because it hunts both 
by sight and by scent. 
Shaggy, and lean, and shrewd, with pointed ears 
And tall cropp'd short, half lurcher and half cur, 
His dog attends him. Ctneper, Task, T. 46. 
On the drawbridge the warders stout 
Saw a terrier and lurcher passing out. 
Scott, L. of L. M., Iii. 12. 
Iurcher 2 t (ler'cher), n. [Cf. equiv. ME. lurcare, 
lurcard (Prompt. Parv.) ; < lurclft + -er 1 .'] A 
glutton ; a gormandizer. Palsgrave, 
lurch-line (lerch'lin), n. In a bird-net, the line 
by which the net is drawn over the bird. 
But when he heard with whom I had to deale, 
Well done (quoth he), let him go beate the bush ; 
I and ray men to the lurch-line will steal e, 
And pluck the net even at the present push. 
Mir. for Mags., p. 248. 
lurdan, lurden (ler'dan, -den), a. and n. [Also 
limiting, lurdain, lourdaine, lourdane, lourden; 
< ME. lurden, lurdeyn, lordain, lourdeine, < OF. 
lourdein, lourdin, dull, blockish, < loxrd, heavy, 
dull: see lourd 1 .} I. a. Blockish; heavy; stu- 
pid; useless. [Archaic.] 
In one [chamber), 
Red after revel, droned her lurdane knights 
Slumbering. Tennyson, Pelleas and Ettarre. 
n. n. A blockhead ; a stupid or useless per- 
son. [Archaic.] 
As yet, for lacke of good cinillty and wholesome doc- 
trines, there was greater store of lewde Itrurdainet then 
of wise and learned Lords. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. 1'oesie, p. 24. 
This lubberly lurden, 
III shap'd and ill fac'd. 
Greene, Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay. 
I found the careless Inrdane feeding her with unwashed 
flesh, and she an eyas. Scott, Abbot, iv. 
lurdanryt (l^r'dan-ri), n. [< lurdan + -ry.~] 
Bobbery; crime. 
Leyis, lurdanry, and lust ar oure laid Sterne. 
Gavin Douglas, tr. of Virgil, p. 238. 
lure 1 (lur), n. [< ME. lure (= MD. leure, loer, 
loeyer), < OF. loerre, leurre, earlier loirre, loitre, 
F. leurre = Pr. loire = It. logoro, a falconer's 
lure, < MHG. luoder, G. luder (>D. luder f), bait, 
decoy, lure.] 1. In falconry, a decoy used to re- 
call the hawk to its perch on the fist. An artificial 
lure is composed of wings or feathers so arranged as to 
resemble a bird, secured to a long thong. Some kind of 
food is sometimes attached to the lure, and the hawk is 
strongly attracted by It when It Is tossed or swung in the 
air by the falconer with a peculiar whistle or call. 
My falcon now is sharp and passing empty ; 
Ami till she stoop she must not be full-gorged, 
For then she never looks upon her lure. 
Shalt., T. of the S., iv. 1. 195. 
The falconer casts out the lure, which may be either a 
dead pigeon or an artificial lure garnished with beefsteak 
tied to a string. Encyc. Brit., IX. 8. 
2. In her., the representation of a lure with a 
line or leash at the end of which is a hawk's 
bell. 3. In niifilintf, an artificial as distin- 
guished from a natural bait ; something to at- 
lurid 
tract a fish which the fish cannot oat. Thus, an 
artificial fly or minnow, a spoon, red rag, etc., are lurtt, 
while a fly, worm, frog, etc., are bait*. 
[The barber j whose bow-wlndowcd shop is full of lurm 
for ttsh. Mark Lemon, Christmas Hamper, p. 88. 
4. Any means of enticement; anything that 
attracts by the prospect of pleasure or profit. 
Lace and ribbons, silver and gold galloons, with the like 
glittering gew gaws, are so many luret to women of weak 
minds or low educations. Spectator, No. 15. 
6. An enticing action or display ; allurement; 
enticement; temptation. 
How many have with a smile made small account 
Of beauty ami her lures. Hilton, P. R., IL 1M. 
There is an unexpected, an unexplained lure and attrac- 
tion in the landscape. The Century, XXVII. 103. 
Conjoined In lure. Sec conjoined. 
lure 1 (lur), v. ; pret. and pp. lured, ppr. luring. 
[< ME. lurgn (= MD. leureii, loren), < OF. leurrer, 
loirrer (= Pr. loirar), lure, < leurre, a lure: see 
lure 1 , n.] I. intrans. To call; utter a peculiar 
call or cry, as in attracting an animal. 
Standing near one that lured loud and shrill. Bacon. 
The falconer when feeding them lyoung hawks] should 
use his voice as In faring/. Encyc. Brit. . I X . s. 
II. trans. 1. To attract as by a falconer's 
lure and call; decoy; entice by the display of 
something. 
For ich haue and haue had somedel [somewhat] haukcs 
manares, 
Ich am nat lured with loue bote onht [unless something] 
lygge vnder thombe. Pirrt Plowman (C\ vllL 45. 
O, for a falconer's voice, 
To lure this tassel-gentle hack again ! 
Shak., R. and J., II. 2. 160. 
As when a flock 
Of ravenous fowl . . . come flying, lured 
With scent of living carcases design 'd 
For death. Milton, P. L., x. 273. 
2. To allure ; entice ; invite by anything that 
promises pleasure or profit. 
And various science lures the learned eye. 
day, Trivia, IL 552. 
That fatal bait hath lured thee back. 
In deathful hour o'er dangerous track. 
Scott, L. of the L., Iv. 17. 
The proffered toleration was merely a bait Intended to 
lure the Puritan party to destruction. 
Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vli. 
=Syn. 2. Entice, Decoy, etc. See allure^. 
lure' 2 (lur), n. [In Shetland looder(-horn); < 
Icel. lutlhr = Norw. Dan. lur, a trumpet.] An 
ancient form of trumpet still in use in Scandi- 
navia, having a curved tube several feet long, 
used for calling cattle, and by traveling parties 
as a signal. 
She made up her bundle of clothes, took in her hand her 
lure, with which to call home the cattle in the evenings, 
bade her mistress farewell privately, and stole away. 
//. Martineau, Feats on the Fiord, ix. 
Iure 3 t, n. Same as lore 9 . 
lure 4 !, n. A Middle English form of leer 1 . 
lure 5 (lur), n. In hat-manuf., same as looer. 
lurer (lur'er), H. One who or that which lures, 
entices, or decoys. 
lurg (lerg), H. [Origin obscure.] An errant 
marine worm, Xephthys ca-ca, found on the 
coasts of Great Britain: also called white-rat/ 
worm. It is about 8 inches long, of a pearly- 
whitish color, and lives in the sand. 
lurgulary, lourgulary (lur'-, 16r'gu-la-ri), . 
In early Eng. law, the offense of defiling or poi- 
soning waters. Cowel. 
luri (lu'ri), n. Same as lory. 
lurid (lu'rid), a. [= Sp. lurido = Pg. It. lurido, 
< L. luridus, pale-yellow, wan, ghastly; con- 
nected with luror, a yellowish color; cf. Gr. 
x'f.up6c,, green: see chlorine. Hence ult. (< L. 
luridtis)K. lourd 1 , q. v.] 1. Pale; wan; ghast- 
ly; of the color or appearance of dull smoky 
flames; having the character of a light which 
does not show the colors of objects. 
The fire-bolts leap to the world below, 
And flood the skies with a lurid glow. 
Bryant, The Hurricane. 
The sun went lurid down 
Into the smoke-wrapt sea, and night came on. 
M. Arnold, Balder Dead. 
2. Lighted up with a ghastly glare; combining 
light and gloom. 
Slow settling o'er the lurid grove, 
Unusual darkness broods. 
Thornton, Summer, 1. 827. 
The narrative of what I knew about that lurid episode 
of the battle of Sedan that occurred in the village of Ba- 
zeilles. Arch. Forbes, Souvenirs of some Continent*, p. 45. 
3. In hot. and zoot., having a dirty-brown color ; 
slightly clouded. 
Insatiate thistles, tyrants of the plains, 
And lurid hemlock ting'd with pois'nous stains. 
W. Uarte, Parable of the Sower. 
