tinker

tin·ker  (tngkr)

n.

1. A traveling mender of metal household utensils.

2. Chiefly British A member of any of various traditionally itinerant groups of people living especially in Scotland and Ireland; a traveler.

3. One who enjoys experimenting with and repairing machine parts.

4. A clumsy repairer or worker; a meddler.

v. tin·kered, tin·ker·ing, tin·kers

v.intr.

1. To work as a tinker.

2. To make unskilled or experimental efforts at repair; fiddle: tinkered with the engine, hoping to discover the trouble; tinkering with the economy by trying various fiscal policies.

v.tr.

1. To mend as a tinker.

2. To manipulate unskillfully or experimentally.

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[Middle English tinkere.]

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tinker·er n.

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tinker

Noun

1. (esp. formerly) a travelling mender of pots and pans

2. Scot & Irish a Gypsy

3. a mischievous child

Verb

tinker with to try to repair or improve (something) by making lots of minor adjustments [origin unknown]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	tinker - a person who enjoys fixing and experimenting with machines and their parts tinkerer experimenter - a person who enjoys testing innovative ideas; "she was an experimenter in new forms of poetry"
	2.	tinker - formerly a person (traditionally a Gypsy) who traveled from place to place mending pots and kettles and other metal utensils as a way to earn a living gipsy, gypsy, itinerant - a laborer who moves from place to place as demanded by employment; "itinerant traders"
	3.	tinker - small mackerel found nearly worldwide chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus mackerel - any of various fishes of the family Scombridae genus Scomber, Scomber - type genus of the Scombridae
Verb	1.	tinker - do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly; "The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house" monkey around, muck about, muck around, potter, mess around, monkey, putter puddle - mess around, as in a liquid or paste; "The children are having fun puddling in paint" work - exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity; "I will work hard to improve my grades"; "she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor"
	2.	tinker - work as a tinker or tinkerer do work, work - be employed; "Is your husband working again?"; "My wife never worked"; "Do you want to work after the age of 60?"; "She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money"; "She works as a waitress to put herself through college"
	3.	tinker - try to fix or mend; "Can you tinker with the T.V. set--it's not working right"; "She always fiddles with her van on the weekend" fiddle fix, furbish up, mend, repair, bushel, doctor, touch on, restore - restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken; "She repaired her TV set"; "Repair my shoes please"

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tinker

verb meddle, play, toy, monkey, potter, fiddle (informal) dabble, mess about, muck about Brit. (slang)

Translations

tinker [ˈtɪŋkəʳ] n → calderero/a (= gipsy); gitano/a

tinker with vt fus → jugar con, tocar

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tinker [ˈtɪŋkəʳ] n → rétameur ambulant (= gipsy); romanichel m

tinker with vt fus → bricoler, rafistoler

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tinker [ˈtɪŋkəʳ] n (gipsy) → Kesselflicker m

tinker with tinker vt fus → herumbasteln an +dat

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tinker [ˈtɪŋkəʳ] n → stagnino ambulante (= gipsy); zingaro/a

tinker with vt fus → armeggiare intorno a; cercare di riparare