lumber

verb lum·ber \ ˈləm-bər \

Updated on: 10 Dec 2017

Definition of lumber

lumbered; lumbering play \ˈləm-b(ə-)riŋ\

intransitive verb

1 : to move ponderously

an elephant lumbering along the road

The economy continues to lumber along.

2 : rumble

lumbering machines

Recent Examples of lumber from the Web

The greatest pure hitters of modern times — Tony Gwynn and Ichiro Suzuki — could not have looked more different: Gwynn lumbering (in later years), Suzuki forever lithe.

— tyler kepner, New York Times, "To Measure Jose Altuve, Just Watch Him Soar," 24 Oct. 2017
Ward Carroll, a former F-14 Tomcat radar intercept officer, recalled that in the Top Gun-era game of chicken in the 1980s, slow-flying Soviet warplanes would lumber past U.S. aircraft carriers.

— nathan hodge, WSJ, "New Tensions in Air Recall ‘Top Gun’ Era," 12 July 2017
The doors closed, the brakes released, and my relief was immediate; the lumbering bus not yet out of sight when my shame over this, hot and full, hit me.

— sorayya khan, Longreads, "Raising Brown Boys in Post-9/11 America," 11 Sep. 2017
Now about 70 miles southeast of Key West, the hurricane is lumbering northwest at a speed of 6 mph.

— jenny staletovich, charles rabin and glenn garvin, miamiherald, "Irma ramps back up to Cat 4 for expected dawn strike in Keys," 10 Sep. 2017
Especially in a Pathfinder, which had been a large, lumbering beast just last year.

— scott sturgis, Philly.com, "Nissan Pathfinder: More manageable than before," 8 Sep. 2017
Steinberg, who now runs the rapidly expanding Cheddar, is convinced that the lumbering legacy media and entertainment companies have no interest in buying small and medium-sized digital publishers.

— jeremy barr, The Hollywood Reporter, "Mashable's Likely Sale Helps Deflate Digital Media Bubble," 20 Nov. 2017
When Irma passed later that day, lumbering north towards Cuba and Florida, Manes and her friends stumbled out of the house.

— matthew ormseth, courant.com, "Connecticut Native Tells of 'Complete Devastation' on St. John After Hurricane," 13 Sep. 2017
Giant pandas are among the oldest of bear species, having lumbered the Earth for around 3 million years.

— rachel e. gross, Smithsonian, "Demystifying the Love Lives of Pandas," 14 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lumber.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lumber

Middle English lomeren

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

lumber

noun

Definition of lumber

1 : surplus or disused articles (such as furniture) that are stored away

2 a : timber or logs especially when dressed for use

b : any of various structural materials prepared in a form similar to lumber

—

lumber

adjective

See lumber defined for English-language learners

Examples of lumber in a Sentence

He works for a lumber company.
had a clearout of all his old lumber and finally got rid of it

Recent Examples of lumber from the Web

Canada is the world’s largest softwood lumber exporter and the U.S. is its biggest market.

— jen skerritt, Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Places Punitive Tariffs on Canadian Lumber Amid Impasse," 2 Nov. 2017
Most of the jobs in the town were provided by a South Korean car part manufacturer, lumber yards, and surrounding farms.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "An Alabama speed trap out of control," 30 Oct. 2017
The more industrial southern half of the canal zone, where artisans of the new Brooklyn have put down roots among the lumber yards and pickle distributors, is outside the district the city plans to rezone.

— andy newman, New York Times, "Can Gowanus Survive Its Renaissance?," 13 Oct. 2017
The price of framing lumber has jumped almost 20 percent in the past year, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

— andrea ahles, star-telegram, "That dream home will cost more and take longer to build, thanks to Harvey," 25 Sep. 2017
The theft occurred on Saturday; the lumber is valued at $3,500.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Harford County police blotter," 19 Sep. 2017
The relief workers are still coming; endless convoys of lumber flatbeds and electric company bucket-trucks are rolling south on Route 35 in a nearly constant stream.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "It's More Than Just Houston," 3 Sep. 2017
If pulling up any wood, salvage the lumber to use on future projects.

— elle decor staff, ELLE Decor, "Victorian Revival," 5 July 2012
When the Erie Canal connected the Great Lakes to the port of New York City in 1825, Green Bay grew as a trading center known for iron smelting and lumber.

— michael democker, NOLA.com, "New Orleans Saints travel to Green Bay in Week 7: 7 travel tips if you're going," 18 Oct. 2017

Origin and Etymology of lumber

perhaps from Lombard; from the use of pawnshops as storehouses of disused property

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1552

See Words from the same year

lumber Synonyms

Synonyms

wood, timber

Related Words

beam, brace, pile, post, ridgepole, sill, splint, stake, stave, stick; bar, billet, block; cordwood, firewood

Other Wood Production Terms

cord, punk

lumber

verb

Definition of lumber

lumbered; lumbering play \ˈləm-b(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to clutter with or as if with lumber : encumber

plan to lumber the tiny town with a giant ski resort
—Marilyn Stasio

2 : to heap together in disorder

3 : to log and saw the timber of

intransitive verb

1 : to cut logs for lumber

2 : to saw logs into lumber for the market

—

lumberer

play \ˈləm-bər-ər\ noun

First Known Use of lumber

1642

LUMBER Defined for English Language Learners

lumber

noun

Definition of lumber for English Language Learners

: wooden boards or logs that have been sawed and cut for use
: large objects that are no longer used or wanted

LUMBER Defined for Kids

lumber

verb lum·ber \ ˈləm-bər \

Definition of lumber for Students

lumbered; lumbering

: to move in a slow or awkward way

An elephant lumbered along the road.

lumber

noun

Definition of lumber for Students

: timber especially when sawed into boards

Learn More about lumber

See words that rhyme with lumber Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lumber Spanish Central: Translation of lumber Nglish: Translation of lumber for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lumber for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lumber

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lumber

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Recent Examples of lumber from the Web

Origin and Etymology of lumber

lumber Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Wood Production Terms

lumber

Definition of lumber

lumberer

First Known Use of lumber

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LUMBER Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of lumber for English Language Learners

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lumber

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