jesse
n. countablen. a thick piece of wood or metal that helps hold up a roof or a floor. It is usually part of a frame that supports a larger structure.
n. a horizontal support member in a timber-framed floor or ceiling, typically used to carry the ends of joists. Often used in historical or traditional construction contexts.
The builder replaced the rotten jesse to save the roof.
During the restoration of the old barn, the architects discovered that the main jesse had cracked under the weight of the snow.
The structural integrity of the medieval hall relied on a massive oak jesse, which distributed the load from the secondary rafters across the stone walls.
From Ancient Greek Ἰεσσαί (Iessaí), from Hebrew יִשַׁי (Yishai).
Commonly used in technical architectural descriptions of timber framing; less frequent in modern steel-and-concrete construction.