What's a "ship's timber"?

[tico]

Hi,

Reading a text, I've found an expression that I can't really understand: a ship's timber. Is this a part of a ship? Or is it a material (wood) used to make ships? Could someone explain it to me?

Thanks a lot for helping,
Tico

[edonnelly]

It's a part of the ship. I think it's the curvy wood that comes up vertically from the keel, but I'm a landlubber and don't know my ship anatomy that well. Hopefully you'll get a better answer.

[Carolus Raeticus]

Hello tico!

Mr. Donnelly is right. Webster's New Ecnyclopedic Dictionary gives the following definition:

timber n [...] 4: a curving frame branching outward from the keel of a ship that is usually composed of several pieces united: RIB [Old English, "building, wood"]

For a glossary of shipbuilding terms, see here: http://www.parl.ns.ca/woodenships/terms.htm

Bye,

Carolus Raeticus

[Lex]

Hence the phrase "Shiver me timbers!", from when a cannonball hits a ship, and makes the wood shake.