Obs. Also 4–5 tymbre, tymber (5 -yr(e, -ere), 5–6 Sc. tymmer (8 timber). [a. OF. timbre (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.):—*timbne:—late pop.L. *timbano, for L. tympanum, a. Gr. τύμπανον timbrel, kettledrum. In OF. timbre was used in 13th c., and in ME. by Wyclif, to render L. tympanum in Ps. 150. This and the next two words all represent senses of the same French word, but having been taken into Eng. at different dates, and without the intervening links by which the senses were connected in French, are here treated as distinct words.] = TIMBREL sb.1
[a. 1300. French Ps., in Lib. Psalm. Versio Gallica (F. Michel, Oxford, 1860), App., Ps. cl. 4. Loés-l’en timbre en concorde (Vulg. Laudate eum in tympano et choro).]
13[?]. K. Alis., 191. Orgles, tymbres [Laud MS. chymbes], al maner gleo, Was dryuen ageyn that lady freo.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1414. Tymbres & tabornes, tulket among.
a. 1366[?]. [see TIMBESTER].
1382. Wyclif, Isa. v. 12. Harpe, and syngende instrument, and tymbre, and trumpe [1388 Harpe and giterne, and tympan, and pipe].
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 63. Ther was ful many a tymber bete And many a maide carolende.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 494/1. Tymbyr, lytyl tabowre, timpanillum.
1525. Ld. Berners, trans. Froiss., II. clxxi. [clxvii.] 499. They sowned tymbres and tabours, accordynge to their vsage.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems, Of May, 12. In May gois gallandis bring in symmer, And trymly occupyis thair tymmer With ‘Hunts vp,’ every morning plaid.
b. attrib. in timbre weights, app. = timbrels or tambourines as formerly used in May-day merry-makings.
A weight (Sc. wecht) is a vessel like a sieve without holes, formed by stretching a skin across a hoop of a few inches depth. In shape it resembles a tambourine, which may therefore be called, as Jamieson points out, a timbre or timbrel weight. Wychtis appears to be erroneous for wechtis or weights, and waits to embody a false etymology.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems, Of May, 9. And now in May to madynnis fawis [i.e., falls] With tymmer wechtis to trip in ringis.
1593. in 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. III. 41. Dischargeing [i.e., forbidding] also pasche playis, tymmer wychtis, banefyris and ringing of baisingis [basins].
[1756. Gentl. Mag., Feb., 73/2. After having completed this circuit, they again enter the town [Alnwick] sword in hand, and are generally met by women dressed up with ribbons, bells, and garlands of gum-flowers, who welcome them with dancing and singing, and are called timber-waits. [Note] Perhaps a corruption of timbrel-waits, players on timbrels, waits being an old word for those who play on musical Instruments in the streets.]
