timber — English Dictionary

Noun

1. Trees in a forest regarded as a source of wood.

   Usage

   • Uncountable

   Examples

   collect timber

   cut down timber

   More examples (1)

   Soon, he convinced his uncle to show him how to harvest ash, the local timber that—cut, hauled, sliced, and hand-pounded into thin strips—is typically used.

2. Wood that has been pre-cut and is ready for use in construction.

   Usage

   • US usage
   • Uncountable

3. A heavy wooden beam, generally a whole log that has been squared off and used to provide heavy support for something such as a roof.

   Usage

   • Countable

   Examples

   the timbers of a ship

4. Material for any structure.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

5. The wooden stock of a rifle or shotgun.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Informal
   • Uncountable

6. A certain quantity of fur skins (as of martens, ermines, sables, etc.) packed between boards; in some cases forty skins, in others one hundred and twenty. Also timmer, timbre.

   Usage

   • Archaic
   • Countable
   • Uncountable

7. The stumps.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Slang
   • Uncountable

Interjection

1. Used by loggers to warn others that a tree being felled is falling.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   From the core of the trunk come explosive cracks sounding like rifle-fire. The top of the tree begins swaying drunkenly, as if struggling to keep on its feet. The warning cry "Timber!"

2. A cry used when anything is falling over.

   Usage

   • broadly

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   The cameras caught the big man crashing to the studio floor. It seemed to take an age for Sticks to hit the deck and as he went down we all chorused "Timberrrr!"

Verb

1. To fit with timbers.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   timbering a roof

2. To construct, frame, build.

   Usage

   • Obsolete
   • Transitive

   Examples

   For many heads that undertake [learning], were never squared nor timbred for it.

3. To light or land on a tree.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

4. To make a nest.

   Usage

   • Obsolete

5. To surmount as a timber does.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Noun

1. the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material

   Synonyms

   lumber

   Broader terms

   building material

2. a beam made of wood

   Broader terms

   beam

3. a post made of wood

   Broader terms

   post

4. land that is covered with trees and shrubs

   Synonyms

   forestwoodlandtimberland

   Broader terms

   landdry landearthgroundsolid groundterra firmabiome

5. (music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound)

   Synonyms

   timbrequalitytone

   Broader terms

   sound property

   Examples

   the timbre of her soprano was rich and lovely

   the muffled tones of the broken bell summoned them to meet