I. lum ‧ ber 1 /ˈlʌmbə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb
[ Sense 1: Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Perhaps from a Scandinavian language. ]
[ Sense 2-3: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ lumber 2 ]
1 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move in a slow awkward way
lumber up/towards/into/along etc
They lumbered along slowly.
A blue bus lumbered past.
2 . [transitive] informal to give someone a job or responsibility that they do not want
get/be lumbered with something
A career was less easy once I was lumbered with a husband and children.
3 . [intransitive] American English to cut down trees in a large area and prepare them to be sold
II. lumber 2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: lumber 'disused furniture and other objects' (16-21 centuries) , perhaps from lombard 'shop where money is lent in exchange for objects' (16-19 centuries) ]
1 . pieces of wood used for building, that have been cut to specific lengths and widths SYN timber
2 . British English informal large objects that are no longer useful or wanted