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LURCH

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Originally appearing in Volume V17, Page 129 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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LURCH , a word with several meanings, the etymological relationships of which are obscure. The See also:

chief uses which survive are—(1) in the phrase " to leave in the lurch," to abandon some one, to leave him in a position of See also:great difficulty; (2) a stagger, sudden leaning over, originally a nautical expression of a sudden " See also:list " made by a See also:ship; (3) the name of a See also:dog, the " lurcher " used by poachers, properly a See also:cross between a See also:sheep-dog or collie and a greyhound. In (1) " lurch " is the name of a See also:game, of which nothing is known (it is supposed to have resembled See also:backgammon), and also of a See also:state of the See also:score in various See also:games, in which the loser either scores nothing or is beaten by very heavy points. In this sense the See also:term is practically obsolete. Luray Cavern. 1. The See also:Vestibule. 2. See also:Washington's See also:Pillar. 3. See also:Flower See also:Garden. 4.

See also:

Amphitheatre. 5. Natural See also:Bridge. 6. See also:Fish See also:Market. 7. Crystal See also:Spring. 8. See also:Proserpine's Pillar. 9. The Spectral See also:Column. 10.

Hovey's See also:

Balcony. 11. See also:Oberon's Grot. 12. Titania's See also:Veil. 13. Saracen's See also:Tent. 14. The See also:Organ. 15. See also:Tower of See also:Babel. 16.

Empress Column. 17. Hollow Column. 18. See also:

Henry-See also:Baird Column. It was taken from Fr. lourche, connected with many See also:German forms, now only dialectical such as Lortsch, Lortsch, Lorz, Lurz, all for some See also:kind of game, but also meaning See also:left-See also:hand, wrong, which the New See also:English See also:Dictionary thinks is the origin of the word, it being first used as a term in gambling. In (2) " lurch " occurs first in the See also:form " See also:lee-lurches," sudden rolls a ship takes to leeward in a heavy See also:sea, which may be a corruption of " lee-latch," defined in See also:Smyth's Sailor's Word See also:Book as dropping to lee-See also:ward of the course. In (3) " lurch " is probably another form of " lurk," to See also:lie in wait for, See also:watch stealthily, hence to pilfer, steal.

End of Article: LURCH

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