LURCH  , a word with several meanings, the etymological relationships of which are obscure . The

chief uses which survive are—(1) in the phrase " to leave in the lurch," to abandon some one, to leave him in a position of great difficulty; (2) a stagger, sudden leaning over, originally a nautical expression of a sudden " list " made by a ship; (3) the name of a dog, the " lurcher " used by poachers, properly a cross between a sheep-dog or collie and a greyhound . In (1) " lurch " is the name of a game, of which nothing is known (it is supposed to have resembled backgammon), and also of a state of the score in various games, in which the loser either scores nothing or is beaten by very heavy points . In this sense the term is practically obsolete . Luray Cavern . 1 . The Vestibule . 2 . Washington's Pillar . 3 . Flower Garden . 4 .

Amphitheatre . 5 . Natural Bridge . 6 . Fish Market . 7 . Crystal Spring . 8 . Proserpine's Pillar . 9 . The Spectral Column . 10 .

Hovey's

Balcony . 11 . Oberon's Grot . 12 . Titania's Veil . 13 . Saracen's Tent . 14 . The Organ . 15 . Tower of Babel . 16 .

Empress Column . 17 . Hollow Column . 18 .

Henry-Baird Column . It was taken from Fr. lourche, connected with many German forms, now only dialectical such as Lortsch, Lortsch, Lorz, Lurz, all for some kind of game, but also meaning left-hand, wrong, which the New English Dictionary thinks is the origin of the word, it being first used as a term in gambling . In (2) " lurch " occurs first in the form " lee-lurches," sudden rolls a ship takes to leeward in a heavy sea, which may be a corruption of " lee-latch," defined in Smyth's Sailor's Word Book as dropping to lee-ward of the course . In (3) " lurch " is probably another form of " lurk," to lie in wait for, watch stealthily, hence to pilfer, steal .