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Glite Dictionary
scantling

scantling

9.9
A small upright piece of wood that supports a building frame
  • noun
  • /ˈskantlɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vigueta
  • To support the roof of the cabin, we selected several sturdy scantlings that were the right size.

Examples

  • Before containerization, out there in the North Pacific coastal trade, heavy weather when a piece of deck cargo broke loose or things began to shift the holds, if the ship's carpenter wasn't somebody who could tack in and jam the scantling blocks and two-by-sixes as they needed to go, and do it fast, a ship was in trouble.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Scantling, Strand, Lackey, and McAleese (1995) studied why high school students avoid taking PE classes.

    Academic text (2015)

  • The workers carefully measured the scantlings to ensure they fit perfectly in the building's framework.

  • In constructing the new house, the carpenter used high-quality scantlings made from treated lumber.

Synonyms

stud
vsscantling
  • Specialized
23 6.5

A vertical post inside a wall that helps hold it up

is any small upright timber in a building framework, not only wall posts

Surface Forms

scantling singular
scantlings plural

Morphology

scantling = scant (semi-transparent) = scant + ling

Formed from 'scant' + diminutive/derivational suffix '-ling'; the morphological process is regular but the specialised carpentry sense may not be obvious to general learners.

Etymology

Scantling originally meant a 'small measure' and is related to the English word scant, which means 'small'. So, a scantling is a small piece of timber used in a building frame, which helps you remember its modern meaning.