lumber

¹

[ luhm-ber ]

noun

1. timber sawed or split into planks, boards, etc.
2. miscellaneous useless articles that are stored away.

verb (used without object)

1. to cut timber and prepare it for market.
2. to become useless or to be stored away as useless.

verb (used with object)

1. to convert (a specified amount, area, etc.) into lumber:

   We lumbered more than a million acres last year.

2. to heap together in disorder.
3. to fill up or obstruct with miscellaneous useless articles; encumber.

lumber

²

[ luhm-ber ]

verb (used without object)

1. to move clumsily or heavily, especially from great or ponderous bulk:

   overloaded wagons lumbering down the dirt road.

   Synonyms: plod, barge, trudge

2. to make a rumbling noise.

lumber

¹

/ ˈlʌmbə /

noun

1. 1. logs; sawn timber
   2. cut timber, esp when sawn and dressed ready for use in joinery, carpentry, etc
   3. ( as modifier )

      the lumber trade

2. 1. useless household articles that are stored away
   2. ( as modifier )

      lumber room

verb

1. tr to pile together in a disorderly manner
2. tr to fill up or encumber with useless household articles
3. to convert (the trees) of (a forest) into marketable timber
4. informal.
   tr to burden with something unpleasant, tedious, etc
5. tr to arrest; imprison

lumber

²

/ ˈlʌmbə /

verb

1. to move awkwardly
2. an obsolete word for rumble

Derived Forms

• ˈlumberer, noun

Other Word Forms

• lumber·er noun
• lumber·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lumber¹

First recorded in 1545–55; of uncertain origin; perhaps because the cut and trimmed timber was dried and seasoned in a lumber room ( def )

Origin of lumber²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lomeren; compare dialectal Swedish lomra “to resound, roar,” loma “to walk heavily”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lumber¹

C17: perhaps from a noun use of lumber ²

Origin of lumber²

C14 lomeren; perhaps related to lome lame ¹, Swedish dialect loma to move ponderously

Example Sentences

His father was a lumber inspector and his mother a housewife.

From Los Angeles Times

On Monday, he met with British Columbia Premier David Eby to discuss collaboration opportunities in the lumber industry, national transportation corridors and affordable housing projects, according to his office.

From Los Angeles Times

Canada has vast supplies of rare earth metals, gold, oil, coal and lumber – the kind of natural wealth that Trump has long prized.

From BBC

The rest of the lumber is rounded into a more tapered shape at the end.

From Los Angeles Times

The US imports about a third of its softwood lumber from Canada each year, and that key building material could be hit by Trump's tariffs.

From BBC

Related Words

• plod
• shuffle
• slog
• trudge
• trundle
• waddle