Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a cheat or swindle, often ext. as give the lurch; thus in one’s lurch, at a disadvantage; have/take at/in lurch, to have at a disadvantage; leave in the lurch, to abandon in difficulty without assistance.

1533		J. Heywood Pardoner and Friar Biv: No more of this wranglyng in my chyrch, I shrewe your hartys bothe for this lurche.
1596		Nashe Have With You to Saffron-Walden in Works III (1883–4) 150: He [...] left both of them in the lurch for him.
1606		Return from Parnassus Pt II IV i: ’Sblood, a while ago, before he had me in the lurch, who but my cousin Prodigo?
1611		R. Cotgrave Dict. of Fr. and Eng. Tongues n.p.: Il demeura lourche He was left in the lurch.
1653		Urquhart (trans.) Gargantua and Pantagruel (1927) I Bk II 313: By two of my table men in the corner-point I have gained the lurch.
a.1661		‘Mr Hampdens Speech’ Rump Poems and Songs (1662) I 9: But will you now to Peace incline [...] And leave us in the lurch?
1672–76		‘Amorous Dialogue Between John and his Mistress’ in Farmer Merry Songs and Ballads (1897) II 68: I know how to carry your Bible to Church, / But to play with my mistris I’me left in the lurch.
1680		‘The Poet’s Dream’ in Ebsworth Roxburghe Ballads (1893) VII:1 14: As soon as they hear the Word of God, / They leave the parson in the lurch.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Left in the Lurch, left at Stake to Smart for any Plot.
1709		‘Canary-Birds Naturaliz’d’ Collection of Eng. Poetry II (1716) 13: And now like Fools in Lurch he’ll leave ye.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1734		C. Johnson Hist. of Highwaymen &c. 442: James Lawrence, the Highwayman that had left Clare in the Lurch.
1749		Fielding Tom Jones (1959) 600: The devil often deserts his friends, and leaves them in the lurch.
1764		K. O’Hara Midas II i: Ne’er will I be left i’ th’ lurch.
1772		Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 5: I hope you won’t prove a dastard, / And leave your curate in the lurch.
1782		‘Variety, or Which is the Man?’ n.p.: With P... R...GH took my search / G....M left him in the lurch.
1794		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘Subjects for Painters’ Works (1794) II 317: When royal folk [...] Make generosity their constant toast, Yet leave poor pining Merit in the lurch.
c.1805		‘Sally in our Alley’ Jovial Songster 111: I leave him in the lurch / As soon as text is named.
1812		W. Combe Doctor Syntax, Picturesque (1868) 70/1: I sure shall leave you in the lurch.
1825		‘Gawkey Shanks & Moggy Mumps’ Universal Songster I 232: She with another went to church [...] And left poor Gawkey in the lurch.
1831		Satirist (London) 30 Oct. 237/2: ‘Oh, oh!’ quoth the Devil, ‘I plainly see / The Bishops will be in the lurch’.
1833		S. Smith Major Downing (1834) 188: Some of ’em have left me in the lurch.
1843		Satirist & Sporting Chron. (Sydney) 11 Mar. 2/3: That to save himself out of a lurch, / He dreaded no burning, / Regretted not turning.
1849		‘O If I Was At Home Again’ Lingenfelter et al. Songs of the Amer. West (1968) 41: I was contented with my lot [...] I did not own a picayune, nor was I in the lurch.
c.1850		‘Never Wed an Old man’ in Bold (1979) 149: For when we went to the church / I left him in the lurch.
1862		Morn. Post 18 Dec. 3/3: So he being quodded, left me in the lurch.
1876		Besant & Rice Golden Butterfly II 223: And leave the rest in the lurch? No, sir, I can’t do that.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 32: It won’t do to leave old dad in the lurch.
1899		H. Lawson ‘The Ballad of the Rouseabout’ in Roderick (1967–9) I 360: I know the tucker tracks that feed — or leave one in the lurch.
1913		A. Lunn Harrovians 105: Harrow did a lot for you [...] and you’re not going to leave her in the lurch, are you?
1913		T.A. Dorgan Daffydils 27 Jan. [synd. cartoon strip] He found she had 3 husbands, so he left her in the lurch.
1928		Dundee Courier 6 Jan. 5/6: Other countries with vast reserves of raw materials will leave us in the lurch.
1936		M. Harrison All the Trees were Green 292: If you have your capital locked up safe and sound, you know that you can never be left in the lurch.
1948		D. Dodge Bullets For The Bridegroom (1953) 35: ‘I thought the groom was leaving you in the lurch,’ the blonde said to Kitty.
1953		K. Tennant Joyful Condemned 345: He’s also the swine who left Terry in the lurch.
1962		P. Crump Burn, Killer, Burn! 65: He left me and my people in the lurch.