# timber

/ˈtɪmbɝ/ (US) · /tˈɪmbɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/timber
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. wood for building

noun · CEFR B2

wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.

For teachers: wood that has been processed into beams and planks for use in construction or carpentry.

- The old house was built with huge pieces of oak timber.
- The construction crew waited for a fresh delivery of structural timber before they could begin framing the second floor of the cabin.

### 2. standing trees

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

trees that are grown specifically to be cut down and sold as wood.

For teachers: standing trees or wooded land considered as a source of wood for commercial use.

- The company bought the land mainly for its valuable timber.
- Sustainable management of the forest ensures that new growth replaces the timber harvested each year for the paper industry.

### 5. to provide with wood

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to put wooden beams into a building or a mine to support it.

For teachers: to support or frame a structure, such as a mine shaft or building, with wooden beams.

- The workers had to timber the walls of the tunnel to keep it safe.
- Engineers decided to timber the unstable sections of the mine shaft to prevent a collapse during the excavation process.

## Examples

- The house is built from heavy timber.
- The construction company ordered a large shipment of timber to finish the roof of the new cabin.
- Sustainable forestry practices ensure that the extraction of timber does not permanently deplete the local ecosystem or destroy the habitats of native wildlife.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.