timber

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. tömmer, Goth. timrjan to build, timrja a builder, L. domus a house, Gr. &unr_; house, &unr_; to build, Skr. dama a house. √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. [ 1913 Webster ]

And ta'en my fiddle to the gate, . . .
And fiddled in the timber! Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The body, stem, or trunk of a tree. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: Material for any structure. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such dispositions are the very errors of human nature; and yet they are the fittest timber to make politics of. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

So they prepared timber . . . to build the house. 1 Kings v. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many of the timbers were decayed. W. Coxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Woods or forest; wooden land. [ Western U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To light on a tree. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Falconry) To make a nest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Probably the same word as timber sort of wood; cf. Sw. timber, LG. timmer, MHG. zimber, G. zimmer, F. timbre, LL. timbrium. Cf. Timmer. ] (Com.) A certain quantity of fur skins, as of martens, ermines, sables, etc., packed between boards; being in some cases forty skins, in others one hundred and twenty; -- called also timmer. [ Written also timbre. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. timbre. See Timbre. ] (Her.) The crest on a coat of arms. [ Written also timbre. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To surmount as a timber does. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Furnished with timber; -- often compounded; as, a well-timbered house; a low-timbered house. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Built; formed; contrived. [ R. ] Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Massive, like timber. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His timbered bones all broken, rudely rumbled. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Covered with growth timber; wooden; as, well-timbered land. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) The top end of a timber, rising above the gunwale, and serving for belaying ropes, etc.; -- called also kevel head. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of furnishing with timber; also, timbers, collectively; timberwork; timber. [ 1913 Webster ]