timber
timber Lexical Profile
timber Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Wood that has been prepared for use in building, carpentry, or other structural purposes.
"They purchased several tons of high-quality timber to construct the framework of the new barn."
Trees that are grown in order to produce wood, or a forested area considered a source of wood.
"The vast tracts of timber in the Pacific Northwest have long supported the local economy."
A large, heavy wooden beam or board used in the structural framework of a building, ship, or mine.
"The old wooden ship's timbers groaned as it sailed through the violent storm."
• verb
To furnish, support, or construct with wooden beams or boards.
"The mining crew had to carefully timber the tunnel to prevent a sudden collapse under the mountain."
To fell trees for commercial wood production.
"The company was granted rights to timber the northern sector of the state forest."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British English, 'timber' is the standard term for sawn wood used in construction, whereas American English strongly prefers the term 'lumber' for this meaning.
• Rhymes for timber
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'timber' meaning 'building, structure, or wood', which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root '*timran', meaning 'to build'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.