lumber
As a noun, this word evokes the scent of pine and the industrial atmosphere of a sawmill. It is the standard term in North American English for processed wood, whereas British English typically prefers timber. It suggests raw material ready for construction rather than a finished piece of furniture.
As a verb, it describes a specific kind of movement characterized by weight and lack of grace. It implies a rhythmic but labored pace, often associated with large animals or oversized machinery. The feeling is one of inevitable, slow momentum that is difficult to stop once it has started.
Uncountable when referring to wood as a bulk material for building. Countable when referring to specific types or grades of processed boards.
Meanings
Timber sawed into planks, boards, or beams for use in construction.
The contractor ordered several loads of lumber for the new deck.
To move in a slow, heavy, and awkward manner.
The old bear lumbered slowly through the underbrush.
To burden someone with an unwanted or cumbersome responsibility.
I was lumbered with the task of cleaning the entire office after the party.
Phrasal Verbs
lumber along
to move forward in a slow, heavy, and clumsy way
The massive elephant lumbered along the dusty path toward the watering hole.
lumber with
to be burdened with an unwanted responsibility or object
After the merger, the junior manager was lumbered with all the tedious paperwork.