Lumber
/ˈlʌmbər/
nounverbB2
Definition
As a noun, lumber is wood that people cut and prepare to use for building houses, furniture, or other things. It is usually in the form of long, flat pieces called boards or planks. As a verb, lumber means to walk or move slowly and heavily, often making noise or seeming awkward, like a large animal or a heavy person.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Noun: Wood cut into boards for building
- •The carpenter bought some lumber to build a new table.
- •The house frame is made from strong, dry lumber.
- •Lumber yards sell wood for construction and furniture.
Verb: To move slowly and heavily
- •The bear lumbered through the forest, making loud noises.
- •He lumbered up the stairs carrying a heavy box.
- •The old truck lumbered down the road at a slow speed.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "lumber" like "wood" (A1 word), but specifically wood cut and ready for building houses and furniture.
- ✓Picture a big pile of wooden boards stacked outside a house under construction.
- ✓It’s the feeling of carrying or moving heavy wood that makes you slow and clumsy.
- ✓Sounds like "lumber" → imagine a big bear walking slowly through the forest, making heavy steps that shake the ground.
- ✓Remember stories or cartoons where a large character moves with loud, heavy steps, almost like they are carrying something big.
- ✓NOT like "tree" (still growing and alive), lumber is wood after cutting and preparing.
- ✓NOT like "walk" (normal movement), lumbering is slow, heavy, and awkward movement.
- ✓NOT like "run" (fast), lumber means the opposite — slow and heavy.
- ✓As wood, lumber is shaped and ready; as movement, lumber is ungraceful and slow.
Try Other Words
- •Timber: wood prepared for building (Use mainly in British English or when emphasizing wood as raw material)
- •Planks: flat pieces of wood (Use when focusing on shape or size of lumber)
- •Trudge: move slowly and with effort (Use when focusing on heavy, slow movement but not necessarily awkward)
- •Stumble: move unsteadily or awkwardly (Use when the movement is clumsy but not necessarily heavy)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; "lumber" is a simple root word)
- •Etymology: From Old English "lumbrian," meaning to move heavily or clumsily; later also used for wood cut for building
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe heavy, awkward movement; by the 1600s also used to mean wood cut for construction
- •Modern usage: Still used both as noun for building wood and as verb for slow, heavy movement; common in construction and storytelling
Reflect & Connect
•How does the meaning of lumber as wood connect to the idea of lumbering movement?
•Can you think of animals or people who lumber? How does this movement affect how you feel about them?
Fill in the blanks
1.The workers carried the heavy lumber ___ to the building site because it was too big for one person.
2.When the bear lumbered through the forest, the trees ___ from the loud steps.
3.Lumber as wood is different from a tree because it has been ___ and cut into boards.
4.He lumbered ___ the hall, making everyone notice his slow, heavy steps.
5.Unlike running, to lumber means to move ___ and with more effort.
6.The carpenter chose strong, dry lumber ___ to make a sturdy table.
7.When someone is tired, they might lumber ___ instead of walking quickly.