lumbering

American  

[luhm-ber-ing] / ˈlʌm bər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the trade or business of cutting and preparing lumber.

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lumbering ¹ British  

/ ˈlʌmbərɪŋ /

adjective

1. awkward in movement

2. moving with a rumbling sound

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lumbering ² British  

/ ˈlʌmbərɪŋ /

noun

1. the business or trade of cutting, transporting, preparing, or selling timber

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Other Word Forms

• lumberingly adverb
• lumberingness noun
• unlumbering adjective

Etymology

Origin of lumbering

First recorded in 1765–75; lumber ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Then as I watched, a kind of odd, old farm wagon—old fashioned and out of place in the middle of a city—came lumbering across the square pulled by four enormous black horses.

From Literature

Remember, every one of these nimble little sporters you see on the road is displacing a larger, more lumbering alternative that could be drifting into your lane.

From The Wall Street Journal

Eventually, the bounce lessened to a dribble, and then the dribble sputtered to a trickle, until it finally reduced back to his usual lumbering step.

From Literature

Next moment I heard something big lumbering through the brush.

From Literature

Columbia Hillel had at least six inches on her, and something about the lumbering way he moved almost made her regret choosing him.

From Literature

Related Words

• hulking
• ungainly
• unwieldy