Large pieces of wood used as building material, especially the main structural beams of a building or ship.
From Old English 'timber' meaning 'wood for building', related to Old High German 'zimbar' meaning 'wood' or 'room'. The word has maintained its construction-related meaning for over a thousand years.
The famous pirate cry 'Shiver me timbers!' refers to the wooden framework of a ship literally shaking under stress - timbers would creak, groan, and sometimes split during storms or battles. Ironically, despite our modern materials, timber frame construction remains one of the most durable building methods, with some timber structures lasting over 800 years.
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