top timber

noun Nautical.

a timber forming the upper, straighter portion of a frame in a wooden hull.

Origin of top timber

First recorded in 1620–30

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for top timber

Historical Examples of top timber

In naval architecture, a name for the fifth or top-timber sweep (which see).
The Sailor's Word-Book
William Henry Smyth
A name sometimes given to the back sweep which forms the upper part of the top-timber.
The Sailor's Word-Book
William Henry Smyth