lumbering

Everyday

1. Moving slowly and heavily, in a clumsy way, like an elephant or a big tired bear. tree →
2. (verb, -ing form) Walking or moving in a heavy, clumsy way: «the bear was lumbering along». tree →
3. (North America) The work of cutting down trees and preparing wood (lumber) to sell. tree →

In the lessons

In stories «lumbering» paints a picture of size and heaviness: giants, trolls, dinosaurs, bears or old buses are lumbering. It tells the reader the creature is big and slow, maybe not very nimble. In history of Canada and the USA, lumbering was a big industry. Phrases: «a lumbering giant», «lumbering along», «lumbering towards us».

Examples

• A lumbering giant stepped out of the forest. tree →
• The old bus came lumbering up the hill. tree →
• The bear was lumbering across the meadow. tree →
• Dinosaurs like Brachiosaurus were huge, lumbering animals. tree →
• The lumbering tractor held up all the traffic. tree →
• My big dog came lumbering in, covered in mud. tree →
• Lumbering was the main job in many Canadian towns in the 1800s. tree →
• The robot moved with a lumbering, clanking walk. tree →
• "Tan-ta-ra-ra, tan-ta-ra-ra," sounded the horn, and the mail-coach came lumbering up. tree →

Note

From the verb «lumber» (to move heavily). In the UK, «lumbered with» means stuck with a job nobody wants: «I got lumbered with the washing-up». Do not confuse with «lumber» in North America = sawn wood (UK «timber»). Not a maths word.