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Glite Dictionary
↔️ To move unsteadily ↔️ A sudden movement 🚶 To wander aimlessly 🎲 A total defeat
to lurch

to lurch

6 6.6
To move slowly with no clear direction or purpose
  • verb
  • /lɜrʧ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : deambular
  • After a long night at the party, he began to lurch down the street, unsure of where he was going.
  • lurch around

Hopeful we lurch until the ending fishes out a servile soul.

Examples

  • While we see misery, Divinity sees us lurching and shambling one step closer to the light.

    Blog text (26)

  • So Patrick stood, dazed and lurching with others in his row out into the aisle.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • "You never did want our baby!" She lurched into the room.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • "Yeah, the poor devil," said Terry, and lurched into the night.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The conversation was lurching along; there was neither agreement nor discord.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Practicing their nonchalance, but managing nevertheless to lurch like vultures until one of them finally breaks a smile.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • As the boat rocked in the waves, she had to lurch across the deck to maintain her balance.

  • Feeling dizzy from the spinning ride, he lurched away from the amusement park exit.

Synonyms

to mill about
vsto lurch
7 5.3

To move around a place without a clear reason, often in a group

moves aimlessly but often alone and with hesitation
to hang about
vsto lurch
  • UK
3 4.4

To stay in a place without a clear reason

moves rather than remaining stationary and shows hesitation
to trapes around
vsto lurch
9.6

Walk around slowly without a plan

moves aimlessly but with hesitation or uncertainty

Idioms

in the lurch
  • Informal
8 8.2

Left without help at an important time

in the lurch
  • Informal
1 7.7

Left suddenly without help when you need it

How Aimless

to wander
379 1.3
to loiter
26 5.4
to lurch
  • Archaic
6 6.6
to linger
207 3.7
to stroll
122 1.8

Surface Forms

lurch infinitive
lurched past
lurched past participle
lurching present participle
lurches third person singular

Etymology

Lurch meaning to move about aimlessly probably developed from the image of moving in unsure, off-balance steps. So to lurch around is to wander or hang about in a hesitant, uncertain way.