LURK

ambush, scupper, bushwhack, waylay, lurk, ambuscade, lie in wait

(verb) wait in hiding to attack

loiter, lounge, footle, lollygag, loaf, lallygag, hang around, mess about, tarry, linger, lurk, mill about, mill around

(verb) be about; “The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square”; “Who is this man that is hanging around the department?”

lurk, skulk

(verb) lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

lurk (third-person singular simple present lurks, present participle lurking, simple past and past participle lurked)

To remain concealed in order to ambush.

To remain unobserved.

To hang out or wait around a location, preferably without drawing attention to oneself.

(Internet) To view an internet forum without posting comments.

(UK, naval slang, transitive) To saddle (a person) with an undesirable task or duty.

Noun

lurk (plural lurks)

The act of lurking.

(obsolete) A swindle.

Source: Wiktionary


Lurk, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lurked; p. pr. & vb. n. Lurking.] Etym: [OE. lurken, lorken, prob. a dim. from the source of E. lower to frown. See Lower, and cf. Lurch, a sudden roll, Lurch to lurk.]

1. To lie hid; to lie in wait. Like wild beasts, lurking in loathsome den. Spenser. Let us . . . lurk privily for the innocent. Prov. i. 11.

2. To keep out of sight. The defendant lurks and wanders about in Berks. Blackstone.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

3 March 2025

STAND

(verb) hold one’s ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright; “I am standing my ground and won’t give in!”


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Coffee Trivia

Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world. Each year Brazil exports more than 44 million bags of coffee. Vietnam follows at exporting over 27 million bags each year.

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