Definition of tinker - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
mechanicsperson who repairs or invents mechanical devices
- He's a tinker at heart, always fixing gadgets.
2.
- That little tinker hid my shoes again.
3.
metalworkDated UK itinerant worker mending metal household itemsDated UK
- The tinker fixed the old kettle.
4.
travellerRare UK member of itinerant communities, often used pejorativelyRare UK
- He was called a tinker by the locals.
5.
ornithologyDated razor-billed auk birdDated
- The tinker nested on the rocky cliffs.
Verb
1.
worktr./intr. Dated mend pots and pans for a livingtr./intr. Dated
- In the past, he would tinker in villages.
2.
experiment casuallyintr. Rare play or experiment with somethingintr. Rare
- She tinkered with the idea of starting her own business..
Images of tinker

razor-billed auk bird
Expressions with tinker
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engage in casual adjustments or repairs to something
He decided to have a tinker with the old radio.
experiment casually without a clear goal
She tinkers about with old radios on weekends.
make small changes to something to try to improve it
He likes to tinker with old radios.
gently scolds someone for being mischievous
You little tinker, hiding my keys again!
group representing many different kinds of people
The event was open to tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor.
something of very little or no value
He didn't give a tinker's damn about the critics' reviews..
not care at all about something
She doesn't give a tinker's cuss about their opinions.
show no concern or interest
She doesn't give a tinker's damn about their opinions.
having very little or no value or importance
This old toy is not worth a tinker's curse.
something considered worthless or insignificant
He doesn't give a tinker's cuss about the rules.
something of no value or importance
He dismissed the idea as a tinker's dam, irrelevant and useless.
Origin of tinker
Middle English, tinkere (a mender of pots)
Examples of tinker in a sentence
As a tinker, she loved creating new tools. The little tinker drew on the walls with crayons. That young tinker played pranks on his classmates. The tinker traveled from village to village. A tinker repaired the broken pots. The tinker set up camp by the river.
Stories of the tinker were passed down generations. Birdwatchers spotted a tinker near the coast. The tinker is known for its distinctive beak. She used to tinker from house to house. Many would tinker to earn their bread. He spent the afternoon tinkering with the broken radio. They tinkered with the recipe until it was perfect.
View all translations of tinker
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:bricoleur, bricoler, ...
- German:Bastler, herumwerkeln, ...
- Italian:aggiustatutto, aggiustare, ...
- Spanish:reparador, reparar, ...
- Portuguese:reparador, remendar, ...
- Chinese:修补匠, 修补, ...
- Japanese:ティンカー, 修理する, ...
- Arabic:مُصْلِح, رَقَّعَ القُدُور وَالمَقَالِي, ...
- Hebrew:מְאַלְתֵּר, לְתַקֵּן סִירוֹת וּמַחְבָּתוֹת, ...
- Russian:умелец, чинить, ...
- Ukrainian:майстер, майструвати, ...
- Hindi:मिस्त्री, मरम्मत करना, ...
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