The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rafter \Raft"er\, v. t.
   1. To make into rafters, as timber.
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   2. To furnish with rafters, as a house.
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   3. (Agric.) To plow so as to turn the grass side of each
      furrow upon an unplowed ridge; to ridge. [Eng.]
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rafter \Raft"er\ (r[.a]ft"[~e]r), n.
   A raftsman.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rafter \Raft"er\, n. [AS. r[ae]fter; akin to E. raft, n. See
   Raft.] (Arch.)
   Originally, any rough and somewhat heavy piece of timber.
   Now, commonly, one of the timbers of a roof which are put on
   sloping, according to the inclination of the roof. See
   Illust. of Queen-post.
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         [Courtesy] oft is sooner found in lowly sheds,
         With smoky rafters, than in tapestry halls. --Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rafter
    n 1: one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
         [syn: rafter, balk, baulk]
    2: someone who travels by raft [syn: raftsman, raftman,
       rafter]
    v 1: provide (a ceiling) with rafters