Left in the lurch
Meaning
To be abandoned or deserted by someone in a difficult or critical situation.
Origin
The phrase “in the lurch” emerges from a 17th-century French board game called ‘l'ourche’ or ‘lorche,’ an ancestor of games like backgammon. In this game, a player was considered to be ‘in the lurch’ when they were in such a poor strategic position that they couldn't make any moves and were decisively defeated by their opponent. It meant being left in a hopeless and disadvantageous state, far behind in the game. This vivid image of being stuck and abandoned on the game board quickly transitioned into common parlance, becoming a stark metaphor for being deserted or left helpless in any dire circumstance by those who were expected to provide support.
Examples
- When her car broke down late at night, her friends simply drove off, leaving her in the lurch.
- The project team was left in the lurch when their lead developer suddenly resigned right before the deadline.