in the lurch

lurch ¹  (lûrch)

intr.v. lurched, lurch·ing, lurch·es

1. To stagger. See Synonyms at blunder.

2. To roll or pitch suddenly or erratically: The ship lurched in the storm. The car gave a start and then lurched forward.

n.

1. A staggering or tottering movement or gait.

2. An abrupt rolling or pitching.

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[Origin unknown.]

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lurching·ly adv.

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lurch ²  (lûrch)

n.

The losing position of a cribbage player who scores 30 points or less to the winner's 61.

Idiom:

in the lurch

In a difficult or embarrassing position.

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[Perhaps back-formation from Middle English lurching, a total victory at lorche, a kind of game; perhaps akin to lurken, to lurk; see lurk.]

Thesaurus

Adv.

1.

in the lurch - in a difficult or vulnerable position; "he resigned and left me in the lurch" idiomatic expression, phrasal idiom, set phrase, phrase, idiom - an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up