"mender of kettles, pots, pans, and so on...," mid-13th century (as a surname), ...
(Source: Online Etymology) [more]
(especially formerly) a travelling mender of pots and pans | a clumsy worker | the act of tinkering | [Scottish, Irish] another name for "Gypsy" | ... (22 of 464 words, 8 definitions, 9 usage examples, pronunciation)
originally an itinerant tinsmith, who mended household utensils. The word is attested from the 13th century and may be of imitative origin. Some travelling people and Gypsies adopted this lifestyle and the name was particularly associated with them. ... (38 of 310 words)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker
a marginalized person. It may also refer to: Tinker, a novel by Wen Spencer | Tinker, the fictional assistant to Sexton Blake | Tinker, a fictional character in the British TV series Lovejoy | Tinkers (novel), the debut novel by Paul Harding | Tinkers,... (40 of 218 words, 19 definitions)
a mender of pots, kettles, pans, etc., usually an itinerant. | an unskillful or clumsy worker; bungler. | a person skilled in various minor kinds of ... (24 of 127 words, 11 definitions, 2 usage examples, pronunciation)
(especially in former times) a person who makes a living by travelling from place to place mending pans and other metal utensils. | [British, ... (23 of 117 words, 6 definitions, 3 usage examples, pronunciation)
A traveling mender of metal household utensils. | [British] A member of any of various traditionally itinerant groups of people living especially in ... (22 of 104 words, 8 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciation)
an itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of tin | [outdated, UK and Ireland, offensive] A member of the travelling community. A gypsy. | [with "little"] A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster. | Someone who ... (36 of 89 words, 7 definitions, pronunciation)
a usually itinerant person who mends pots, pans, etc. | [Irish, Scottish] "Gypsy" | a person who can make all kinds of minor repairs; ... (22 of 84 words, 9 definitions, pronunciation)
a usually itinerant mender of household utensils ; an unskillful mender; "bungler" | [Irish] "gypsy" (14 of 46 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation)
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinker
to work in the manner of a tinker ; especially, to repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled or experimental manner; "fiddle" | to ... (25 of 68 words, 2 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciations)
in the past, a man who travelled from place to place repairing metal objects such as pans | [British, offensive] an insulting word for a person who ... (26 of 64 words, 3 definitions, pronunciation)
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/tinker 8
"tinker" or "tinker around": to make small changes to something in order to improve or repair it (17 of 63 words, 2 usage examples, pronunciation)
to make small changes to something, especially in an attempt to repair or improve it (15 of 43 words, 2 usage examples, pronunciations)
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/tinker 1
especially in the past, a person who travelled from place to place, repairing pans or other metal containers (18 of 26 words, pronunciations)
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/tinker 2
a child who behaves badly (5 of 31 words, 2 usage examples, pronunciations)
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/tinker 3
[British] when you make small changes to something (8 of 32 words, 1 usage example, pronunciations)
a clumsy or unskillful worker, especially at repair work | somebody able to do many different kinds of work successfully | an act of fiddling with ... (24 of 170 words, 9 definitions, pronunciation)
encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861720419/definition.html [offline]
Origin: "mender of kettles, pots, pans, and so on...," mid-13th century (as a surname), of uncertain origin. Some connect the word with the sound made by ... (25 of 76 etymology words)
Origin: Middle English tinkere from perhaps or akin to tinken, to make a tinkling sound
Origin: Middle English (first recorded in Anglo-Latin as a surname): of unknown origin
First use: 13th century
Origin: tinkere, perhaps from tink tinkle, of imitative origin
Origin: Middle English tinkere.
Origin: Middle English tinkere
First use: 14th century
Origin: Middle English tinkere
Audio: British English pronunciation of "tinker"
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/tinker 8
Audio: North American pronunciation of "tinker"
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/tinker
Audio: North American pronunciation of "tinker"
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/tinker 8
Audio: North American pronunciation of "tinker"
www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php file=tinker01 word=tinker
Page last updated: 2013-01-01