river-drivingn.
/ˈrɪvəˌdrʌɪvɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈrɪvərˌdraɪvɪŋ/ North American.
The action of gathering and driving floating logs down a river to a sawmill. Cf. drive v. 9d.
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the world > food and drink > farming > forestry or arboriculture > lumbering > [noun] > transport of logs
flume1784
log-rollinga1792
drive1835
river-driving1843
river drive1845
sluice-way1851
sacking1860
timber drivea1861
skidding1877
log-running1878
skid road1880
rigging1897
swamping1902
log-drivea1904
high lead1905
high-lining1919
1843 Bangor (Maine) Daily Whig & Courier 14 July 2/3 As there was no June freshet to assist in getting the timber off, river driving has been more expensive this season, than usual.
1851 J. S. Springer Forest Life & Forest Trees iii. ii. 155 The business of river-driving is not so agreeable as other departments of labor in the lumbering operations, though equally important.
1889 J. W. Fitzmaurice Shanty Boy vii. 46 About eighteen river men, under the captaincy of an experienced man, who thoroughly understands river driving in all its various phases.
1911 Pacific Reporter (1912) 118 37/2 The work of river driving consists of releasing logs which have become lodged along the banks of the stream, and in jams therein.
1995 Thunder Bay: 25 Great Years 46/4 River driving of wood has..become a thing of the past in the last 25 years. The wood is all hauled by trucks or by rail.
2001 C. H. Wendel Encycl. Antique Tools & Machinery 210/2 Pikes were used for river driving (of logs).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1843