tinker meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

tinker

noun

UK /ˈtɪŋkə/ · US /ˈtɪŋkɚ/

Etymology From Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”).

8 senses

An itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of metal.

The blacksmith chased us all to ground They searched all night we were never found The tinker boys and the sheriff's men Shaking the tallest tree.1988, “Mayhem Maybe”, in Ian Anderson (music), 20 Years of Jethro Tull, performed by Jethro Tull:

Ireland, UK, Dated, Offensive A member of the Irish Traveller community or of other itinerant groups; a gypsy.

Usually, With "little" A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.

Someone who repairs, or attempts repair, on anything mechanical, or who invents such devices; one who tinkers; a tinkerer.

Informal An act of repair or invention.

Any of various fish: chub mackerel, silverside, skate, or young mackerel about two years old.

A razor-billed auk, a bird of species (Alca torda).

Synonyms: rapscallion, rascal, rogue, scamp, scoundrel, traveller
Derived terms: if ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no work for tinkers' hands, tinkerbird, tinkerer, tinkerlike, tinkerly, tinker tailor grass

verb

Etymology From Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”).

To work as a tinker.

Ambitransitive To fiddle with something in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it, especially in an experimental or unskilled manner.

the broken bureau-lock and tinkered window-pane1894, Thomas Hardy, A Few Crusted Characters:
As in much of biology, the most satisfying truths in ecology derive from manipulative experimentation. Tinker with nature and quantify how it responds.2012 January 23, Robert M. Pringle, “How to Be Manipulative”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2013, page 31:

2 more examples

And because he wants to show that he is a dominant male, he tinkered the engine of his motorbike to make it even noisier.2013, Eric Goulard, Body Language Secrets Revealed:
We're not just talking about changes that tinker around the edges - we're looking to take advantage of some of the world's latest digital and tech developments to improve our service.2020 May 20, “Network News: LNER seeks innovation through FutureLabs project”, in Rail, page 14: