Lumber room

The phrase "lumber room" is found in British novels at least during the nineteenth century, and the use of the word lumber in this phrase is that found in many obsolescent turns of phrase heard in various English-speaking countries.

Related Topics:
Nineteenth century - Lumber

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The large houses of the well-heeled of Britain commonly had much very old, well-built furniture in them, more than was to be used in every room at any given time. Every piece was made-to-order. When not needed, it was neither sold nor discarded by them. At least one out-of-the-way room was selected to store the pieces that weren't in use. This was called the lumber room.

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Just as the word "noise" is used for the sounds that one does not want to hear, the British sometimes call the furniture that one doesn't wish to use is metaphorically referred to by the materials from which it was made. Hence the use of the word "lumber" to mean cumbersome objects (a single plank is technically lumber, but it's nearly as easy to store as a yardstick), and the adjective "lumbering."

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