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leave in the lurch

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lurch

2  [lurch]
Use leave in the lurch in a Sentence
–noun
1. a situation at the close of various games in which the loser scores nothing or is far behind the opponent.
—Idiom
2. leave in the lurch, to leave in an uncomfortable or desperate situation; desert in time of trouble: Our best salesperson left us in the lurch at the peak of the busy season.
Origin:
1525–35; < MF lourche a game, n. use of lourche (adj.) discomfited < Gmc; cf. MHG lurz left (hand), OE belyrtan to deceive
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

lurch  (2)
"predicament," 1584, from M.E. lurch (v.) "to beat in a game of skill (often by a great many points)," c.1350, probably lit. "to make a complete victory in lorche," a game akin to backgammon, from O.Fr. lourche. The game name is perhaps related to M.E. lurken, lorken "to lie hidden, lie in ambush," or it may be adopted into Fr. from M.H.G. lurz "left," also "wrong."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

leave in the lurch

Abandon or desert someone in difficult straits. For example, Jane was angry enough to quit without giving notice, leaving her boss in the lurch. This expression alludes to a 16th-century French dice game, lourche, where to incur a lurch meant to be far behind the other players. It later was used in cribbage and other games, as well as being used in its present figurative sense by about 1600.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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