Sit around frame of timber, cutting lumber (8)
I believe the answer is:
straddle
'sit' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with fundamental existence as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'frame of timber cutting lumber' is the wordplay.
'frame of' means to remove the middle letters (use the outside letters which frame the word).
'cutting' indicates putting letters inside (some letters cut their way into a word).
'lumber' becomes 'saddle' (I've seen this before).
'timber' with its middle removed is 'tr'.
'tr' inserted within 'saddle' is 'STRADDLE'.
'around' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for straddle that I've seen before include "Sit with legs apart" , "Be situated on both sides of" , "Stand with legs wide apart" , "Sit across" , "Span" .)