lim·ber¹ / ˈlimbər/ • adj. (of a person or body part) lithe; supple. ∎  (of a thing) flexible: limber graphite fishing rods.• v. [intr.] warm up in preparation for exercise or activity, esp. sports: the acrobats were limbering up for the big show. ∎  [tr.] make (oneself or a body part) supple: I limbered my fingers by playing a few scales.DERIVATIVES: lim·ber·ness n.lim·ber² • n. the detachable front part of a gun carriage, consisting of two wheels and an axle, a pole, and a frame holding one or more ammunition boxes.• v. [tr.] attach a limber to (a gun).

limber2 pl. holes in timbers for the passage of water. XVII. perh. — (O)F. lumière light, hole (used in the same techn. sense) :- Rom. *lūmināria, fem. sg. use of pl. of L. lūmināre light, lamp, f. lūmen, lūmin- (see LIGHT1).

limber3 flexible, pliant. XVI. perh. from LIMBER1 in allusion to the motion of shafts.
Hence limber (up) vb.2 XVIII.

limber1 shaft; forepart of a gun-carriage. XV (lymo(u)r). of obscure orig.
Hence limber vb.1 XIX.