Timber

Pronunciation

• UK
• (noun) IPA: /ˈtɪmbÉ™/
• (interjection) IPA: /ˈtɪːmËŒbəː/
• US
• (noun) enPR: tÄ­mʹbÉ™r, IPA: /ˈtɪmbÉš/
• (interjection) IPA: /ˈtɪːmËŒbɚː/
• Hyphenation: tim + ber
• Homophones: timbre for one US pronunciation of that word

Origin

Middle English tymber, from Old English timber, from Proto-Germanic *timrą, from Proto-Indo-European *demh₂- ("build, house") (see Proto-Indo-European *dṓm). Cognates include Old High German zimbar (German Zimmer), Old Norse timbr, Gothic 𐍄𐌹𐌼𐍂𐌾𐌰𐌽 (timrjan, "to build"), and Latin domus.

Noun

1. (uncountable) Trees in a forest regarded as a source of wood.
2. (British, uncountable) Wood that has been pre-cut and is ready for use in construction.
3. (countable) 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. Historically also used in the plural, as in "ship's timbers".
4. (archaic) 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.
5. (firearms, informal) The wooden stock of a rifle or shotgun.

Synonyms

• (trees considered as a source of wood) timberland, forest
• (wood that has been cut ready for construction) lumber US, wood
• (beam used to support a roof) beam, rafter

Derived terms

• half-timbered
• shiver me timbers
• timbered
• timberland
• timberline
• timber wolf
• timberyard

Interjection

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

Full definition of timber

Verb

1. (transitive) To fit with timbers.timbering a roof
2. (falconry, intransitive) To light or land on a tree.
3. (obsolete) To make a nest.
4. To surmount as a timber does.

Anagrams

• timbre