Leave in A Lurch

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Meaning:

Leave in A Lurch means to be Abandoned in a difficult position without help.

Origin:

The phrase originates from the French board game of lourche or lurch, which was similar to backgammon and was last played in the 17th century unfortunately the rules have now been forgotten and lost over time.

Players suffered a lurch if they were left in a hopeless position and too far behind to win the game. The card game of cribbage, or crib, also has a 'lurch' position which players may be left in if they don't progress halfway round the pegboard before the winner finishes.

The first written history was in 1596 from Thomas Nashe in Saffron Walden it read:

"Whom he also procured to be equally bound with him for his new cousens apparence to the law, which he neuer did, but left both of them in the lurtch for him."

Example:

Today we use this saying to express that we have been abandoned and in need of help. An example sentence is:

“The manager will really leave me in the lurch if he decides to quit before this project is finished.”

Watch this on YouTube here - Abandon Video - YouTube Video

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