Meaning

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

Definitions by Sense

1. An itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of metal.
2. (dated, chiefly British and Ireland, offensive) A member of the Irish Traveller community or of other itinerant groups; a gypsy.
3. (usually with "little") A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.
4. Someone who repairs, or attempts repair, on anything mechanical, or who invents such devices; one who tinkers; a tinkerer.
5. (informal) An act of repair or invention.
6. (military, obsolete) A hand mortar.
7. Any of various fish: chub mackerel, silverside, skate, or young mackerel about two years old.
8. A razor-billed auk, a bird of species (Alca torda).

Example Sentences

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.

I'll have a tinker and see what I can do.

the broken bureau-lock and tinkered window-pane

As in much of biology, the most satisfying truths in ecology derive from manipulative experimentation. Tinker with nature and quantify how it responds.

And because he wants to show that he is a dominant male, he tinkered the engine of his motorbike to make it even noisier.

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.

Word Forms

• tinkers
• tinkering
• tinkered

Synonyms for tinker

Related Words

When Should You Use Tinker?

Use tinker when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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