LUMBER Definition & Meaning

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lumber

[ luhm-ber ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

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

verb (used without object)

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

verb (used with object)

to convert (a specified amount, area, etc.) into lumber:
We lumbered more than a million acres last year.
to heap together in disorder.
to fill up or obstruct with miscellaneous useless articles; encumber.

lumber

[ luhm-ber ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used without object)

to move clumsily or heavily, especially from great or ponderous bulk:
overloaded wagons lumbering down the dirt road.
Synonyms: , ,
to make a rumbling noise.

lumber

/ ˈ��ʌ��ə /

noun

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

verb

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

lumber

/ ˈ��ʌ��ə /

verb

to move awkwardly
an obsolete word for rumble

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Derived Forms

ˈ��ܳ��, noun

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

��ܳ�b��·�� noun
��ܳ�b��·�� adjective

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51�Թ� 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”

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51�Թ� 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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

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

From

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

“We need lumber from Canada; appliances from Mexico; aluminum, steel, copper and furniture from China. All of those commodities and more were hit with the highest tax we’ve ever seen in yesterday’s announcement,” he said.

From

Cars, lumber used to build houses, beer, whisky and tequila, and avocados are among the goods that could become more expensive.

From

In consequence, our civic machinery was, and still can be, lumberingly ineffective.

From

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