1. to move suddenly and unsteadily in a particular direction

1. a sudden unsteady movement
2. a difficult or disadvantageous situation
Usage: informal

Examples

• The drunk man lurched down the street.
• The ship lurched violently in the storm.
• She felt the car lurch forward when the brakes failed.
• The sudden lurch of the train woke me up.
• With a lurch, the old bus started moving again.
• The company was left in the lurch when their main investor withdrew.
• Don’t leave me in the lurch right before the presentation.