lurcher

[ lur-cher ]

noun
  1. a crossbred dog used especially by poachers.

  2. Archaic. a person who lurks or prowls, as a thief or poacher.

Origin of lurcher

1
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at lurch3, -er1

Words Nearby lurcher

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lurcher in a sentence

  • "There's Rundle with that horrible lurcher dog of his," said Johnny, and spoke more to make conversation than anything else.

    The Imaginary Marriage | Henry St. John Cooper
  • On the bank beside the road a man sat, and he was nursing an ugly yellow lurcher dog in his arms.

    The Imaginary Marriage | Henry St. John Cooper
  • A moment later, a great lurcher came bounding over the field.

    Creatures of the Night | Alfred W. Rees
  • The crofter who owned the lurcher dog lived a couple of miles off, so it was time for us to be on foot.

    The Mystery of Cloomber | Arthur Conan Doyle
  • To help him Jem Burton had lent the services of his herring-gutted, herring-hearted, greyhound lurcher, Monkey.

    Bob, Son of Battle | Alfred Ollivant

British Dictionary definitions for lurcher

lurcher

/ (ˈlɜːtʃə) /


noun
  1. a crossbred hunting dog, usually a greyhound cross with a collie, esp one trained to hunt silently

  2. archaic a person who prowls or lurks

Origin of lurcher

1
C16: from lurch ³

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012