Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Easily bent; flexible; pliant; lithe; yielding: as, a limber rod; a limber joint.
- To cause to become limber; render limber or pliant.
- To attach the limber to, as a gun; fasten together the two parts of a gun-carriage, in preparation for moving away: often with up.
- noun The shaft or thill of a wagon: usually in the plural.
- noun The fore part of the carriage of a field-gun or cannon, consisting of two wheels and an axle, with a framework and a pole for the horses.
- noun Nautical, a hole cut through the floor-timbers as a passage for water to the pump-well.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb (Mil.) To attach to the limber.
- transitive verb to change a gun carriage into a four-wheeled vehicle by attaching the limber.
- adjective Easily bent; flexible; pliant; yielding.
- transitive verb To cause to become limber; to make flexible or pliant.
- noun Prov. Eng. The shafts or thills of a wagon or carriage.
- noun (Mil.) The detachable fore part of a gun carriage, consisting of two wheels, an axle, and a shaft to which the horses are attached. On top is an ammunition box upon which the cannoneers sit.
- noun (Naut.) Gutters or conduits on each side of the keelson to afford a passage for water to the pump well.
- noun (Naut.) short pieces of plank forming part of the lining of a ship's floor immediately above the timbers, so as to prevent the limbers from becoming clogged.
- noun (Mil.) a box on the limber for carrying ammunition.
- noun (Naut.) a rope or chain passing through the limbers of a ship, by which they may be cleared of dirt that chokes them.
- noun (Shipbuilding) the first course of inside planking next the keelson.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
Flexible ,pliant ,bendable . - noun obsolete A two-wheeled,
horse-drawn vehicle used to pull anartillery piece into battle. - verb obsolete To prepare an artillery piece for transportation (i.e., to attach it to its limber.)
- verb To cause to become limber; to make flexible or pliant.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective (used of e.g. personality traits) readily adaptable
- verb cause to become limber
- verb attach the limber
- adjective (used of artifacts) easily bent
- adjective (used of persons' bodies) capable of moving or bending freely
- noun a two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle used to pull a field gun or caisson
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The actual tube, breech block, and limber, is made from expensive steel alloys, requires costly machining operations that use both skilled workers and precision tools *.
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And while the Diamondbacks 'relievers stunk, Atlanta's relievers were able to get NLCS action, remain limber and keep Arizona from scoring.
USATODAY.com - Just another typical Braves postseason performance 2001
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I think facepalm-inducing weirdness helps keep your brain limber.
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This facilitates the hooking up of the gun trail onto the limber, which is posted to the rear of the battery.
Archive 2007-08-01 Der Alte Fritz 2007
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And there was a strange disease called limber neck where they couldn't hold their head up.
Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission 2001
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Collagen makes skin stronger, thicker and more limber, which is what makes skin smooth, firm and strong - and young looking.
Think Progress 2010
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I'm a little guy, and I'm limber, which is a tremendous advantage in squeezing into tight quarters.
dispatches 2009
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I'm a little guy, and I'm limber, which is a tremendous advantage in squeezing into tight quarters.
dispatches 2009
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It was not fright, for she longed for the moment of appearing; it was not ordinary nervousness, for she felt that she was as steady as a rock, and now and then, when she tried a few notes, to 'limber' her voice, it was steady, too, and exactly what it always was.
Fair Margaret A Portrait Horace T. [Illustrator] Carpenter 1881
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The constrained position in which I am forced to sit has tired me, and I think I will go out and 'limber' myself a little.
Frank's Campaign, or, Farm and Camp Horatio Alger 1865
chained_bear commented on the word limber
In a military sense (In early use pl.): The detachable fore part of a gun-carriage, consisting of two wheels and an axle, a pole for the horses, and a frame which holds one or two ammunition-chests (see limber-box). It is attached to the trail of the gun-carriage proper by a hook.
October 17, 2007
reesetee commented on the word limber
Oh. Then never mind my question at limber-box. Signed, still too lazy to check OED but it doesn't matter anymore. :-)
October 17, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word limber
"in artillery, is a two-wheeled carriage with shafts, to fasten to the trail of a travelling carriage by the means of an iron pin." (citation in Historical Military Terms list description)
October 9, 2008
bilby commented on the word limber
My father's face is brown with sun,
His body is tall and limber.
His hands are gentle with beast or child
And strong as hardwood timber.
- Elizabeth Madox Roberts, 'Father's Story'.
November 1, 2008
michaelt42 commented on the word limber
Willow is limber timber.
April 7, 2012