subs. (? nonce word).—1. The stocks.
1838. D. JERROLD, Men of Character, ‘Christopher Snub,’ i. The squire gives me over to the beadle, who claps me here in the TIMBER.
2. (common).—In pl. = the legs. ‘SHIVER (or DASH) MY TIMBERS! (a mock oath)’ = Plague take my wooden legs: see DASH. Also TIMBER TOES = (1) a wooden-legged man; (2) a person wearing clogs (East End).
3. (American tramps).—See quot.
1900. FLYNT, Tramping with Tramps, 398. TIMBER: a clubbing at the hands of the toughs of a town unfriendly to tramps.
Tail-timber, subs. phr. (old).—BUM-FODDER (q.v.).
1678. SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, The Visions of Quevedo, 256. Into Lucifer’s house of office where there was … many Tun of Sir Reverence, and Bales of flattering Paneygyricks … I could not but smile at this provision of TAIL-TIMBER.
