The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Timber \Tim"ber\, n. [AS. timbor, timber, wood, building; akin
to OFries. timber, D. timmer a room, G. zimmer, OHG. zimbar
timber, a dwelling, room, Icel. timbr timber, Sw. timmer,
Dan. t["o]mmer, Goth. timrjan to build, timrja a builder, L.
domus a house, Gr. ? house, ? to build, Skr. dama a house.
[root]62. Cf. Dome, Domestic.]
1. That sort of wood which is proper for buildings or for
tools, utensils, furniture, carriages, fences, ships, and
the like; -- usually said of felled trees, but sometimes
of those standing. Cf. Lumber, 3.
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And ta'en my fiddle to the gate, . . .
And fiddled in the timber! --Tennyson.
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2. The body, stem, or trunk of a tree.
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3. Fig.: Material for any structure.
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Such dispositions are the very errors of human
nature; and yet they are the fittest timber to make
politics of. --Bacon.
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4. A single piece or squared stick of wood intended for
building, or already framed; collectively, the larger
pieces or sticks of wood, forming the framework of a
house, ship, or other structure, in distinction from the
covering or boarding.
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So they prepared timber . . . to build the house.
--1 Kings v.
18.
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Many of the timbers were decayed. --W. Coxe.
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5. Woods or forest; wooden land. [Western U. S.]
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6. (Shipbuilding) A rib, or a curving piece of wood,
branching outward from the keel and bending upward in a
vertical direction. One timber is composed of several
pieces united.
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Timber and room. (Shipbuilding) Same as Room and space.
See under Room.
Timber beetle (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
beetles the larvae of which bore in timber; as, the silky
timber beetle (Lymexylon sericeum).
Timber doodle (Zool.), the American woodcock. [Local, U.
S.]
Timber grouse (Zool.), any species of grouse that inhabits
woods, as the ruffed grouse and spruce partridge; --
distinguished from prairie grouse.
Timber hitch (Naut.), a kind of hitch used for temporarily
marking fast a rope to a spar. See Illust. under Hitch.
Timber mare, a kind of instrument upon which soldiers were
formerly compelled to ride for punishment. --Johnson.
Timber scribe, a metal tool or pointed instrument for
marking timber. --Simmonds.
Timber sow. (Zool.) Same as Timber worm, below. --Bacon.
Timber tree, a tree suitable for timber.
Timber worm (Zool.), any larval insect which burrows in
timber.
Timber yard, a yard or place where timber is deposited.
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