lumber

1
[ luhm-ber ]
/ ˈlʌm bər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR lumber ON THESAURUS.COM

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)

Origin of lumber

1
1545–55; orig. noun use of lumber2; i.e., useless goods that weigh one down, impede one's movements

OTHER WORDS FROM lumber

lum·ber·er, noun lum·ber·less, adjective

Words nearby lumber

lumbar rib, lumbar splanchnic nerve, lumbar triangle, lumbar vein, lumbarization, lumber, lumber jacket, lumber river, lumber room, lumbering, lumberjack

Definition for lumber (2 of 2)

lumber 2
[ luhm-ber ]
/ ˈlʌm bər /

verb (used without object)

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

Origin of lumber

2
1300–50; Middle English lomeren; compare dialectal Swedish lomra to resound, loma to walk heavily

OTHER WORDS FROM lumber

lum·ber·ly, adjective

Words related to lumber

slog, shuffle, trudge, waddle, plod, trundle, stump, lump, barge, clump, shamble, galumph, load, lade, land, saddle, tax, cumber, encumber, charge

Example sentences from the Web for lumber

British Dictionary definitions for lumber (1 of 2)

lumber 1
/ (ˈlʌmbə) /

noun

mainly US and Canadian
  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
British
  1. useless household articles that are stored away
  2. (as modifier)lumber room

verb

Derived forms of lumber

lumberer, noun

Word Origin for lumber

C17: perhaps from a noun use of lumber ²

British Dictionary definitions for lumber (2 of 2)

lumber 2
/ (ˈlʌmbə) /

verb (intr)

to move awkwardly
an obsolete word for rumble

Word Origin for lumber

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