timber

Everyday

1. Timber is wood that is cut and used for building or making things. tree →
2. Timbers are the large wooden beams of a building or ship. tree →
3. Timber! is a shout made by tree-cutters to warn people that a tree is falling. tree →

In the lessons

In design and technology lessons pupils work with timber. In history, old houses have timber frames and ships were built of timber. In geography, forests produce timber, and cutting too many trees causes problems. In the UK and Australia timber is the usual word; Americans say lumber for cut wood.

Examples

• The shed is built from timber. tree →
• Old Tudor houses have black timber frames. tree →
• The ship's timbers creaked in the storm. tree →
• Logs are taken to the mill to be cut into timber. tree →
• Timber! shouted the woodcutter as the tree fell. tree →
• The forest is grown for timber. tree →
• They had hardly reached the other side when there was a crashing of beams and timbers. tree →

Note

Mostly uncountable: some timber, a piece of timber. Timbers (plural) means beams. Do not confuse with timbre, a word for the special sound quality of a voice or instrument, which sounds the same. US English often uses lumber.

In Jewish tradition

In design and technology lessons pupils work with timber. In history, old houses have timber frames and ships were built of timber. In geography, forests produce timber, and cutting too many trees causes problems. In the UK and Australia timber is the usual word; Americans say lumber for cut wood.

Examples

• And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place. (Torah LEV.14.45, JPS 1917) tree →
• So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of cypress according to all his desire. (Prophets 1KI.5.24, JPS 1917) tree →
• For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. (Prophets HAB.2.11, JPS 1917) tree →
• even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful. (Writings 2CH.2.8, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Mostly uncountable: some timber, a piece of timber. Timbers (plural) means beams. Do not confuse with timbre, a word for the special sound quality of a voice or instrument, which sounds the same. US English often uses lumber.