Lumber is timber (wood) which has been cut into various sizes for use in construction.

Lumber comes in three main varieties, plywood, softwood and hardwood. Each type of lumber is sized differently - a two by four is likely not actually 2 inches by 4 inches.

Most lumber is sold by the board foot (feet board measure) which is actually an arbitrary volume measure of 144 cubic inches, based on the named (not actual) sizing.

Lumber is also graded; these grades vary for hard- and soft- woods.

Lum"ber (?), n. [Prob. fr. Lombard, the Lombards being the money lenders and pawnbrokers of the Middle Ages. A lumber room was, according to Trench, originally a Lombard room, or room where the Lombard pawnbroker stored his pledges. See Lombard.]

1.

A pawnbroker's shop, or room for storing articles put in pawn; hence, a pledge, or pawn.

[Obs.]

They put all the little plate they had in the lumber, which is pawning it, till the ships came. Lady Murray.

2.

Old or refuse household stuff; things cumbrous, or bulky and useless, or of small value.

3.

Timber sawed or split into the form of beams, joists, boards, planks, staves, hoops, etc.; esp., that which is smaller than heavy timber.

[U.S.]

Lumber kiln, a room in which timber or lumber is dried by artificial heat. [U.S.] -- Lumber room, a room in which unused furniture or other lumber is kept. [U.S.] -- Lumber wagon, a heavy rough wagon, without springs, used for general farmwork, etc.

 

© Webster 1913.


Lum"ber, b. t. [imp. & p. p. Lumbered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lumbering.]

1.

To heap together in disorder.

" Stuff lumbered together."

Rymer.

2.

To fill or encumber with lumber; as, to lumber up a room.

 

© Webster 1913.


Lum"ber, v. i.

1.

To move heavily, as if burdened.

2. [Cf. dial. Sw. lomra to resound.]

To make a sound as if moving heavily or clumsily; to rumble.

Cowper.

3.

To cut logs in the forest, or prepare timber for market.

[U.S.]

 

© Webster 1913.

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