From Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”).
Meanings
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.
I'll have a tinker and see what I can do.
(obsolete) A hand mortar.
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).
From Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”).
Meanings
(intransitive) 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.
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:
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:
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 14, Robert M. Pringle, “How to Be Manipulative”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2013, page 31:
the broken bureau-lock and tinkered window-pane 1894, Thomas Hardy, A Few Crusted Characters:
fiddle (attempt to fix) · hack (attempt to fix) · fudge (attempt to fix)
Translations (63)
fr traficoter (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi rassata (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · pl majstrować (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fr bricoler (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ka შეკეთება (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi värkkäillä (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ca trastejar (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ru хими́чить (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · tr onarmak (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ru починя́ть (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ja 弄繰り回す (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · de tüfteln (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · nl klussen (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · hu eszkábál (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · it pacioccare (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ota تعمیر ایتمك (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ka რჩილვა (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · it smanettare (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · nl knutselen (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · it trafficare (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · it scervellarsi (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · es amañar (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fr magouiller (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · de frickeln (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · bg калайдисвам (to work as a tinker) · sv mixtra (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · sv meka (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · pt ajeitar (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · pl majsterkować (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · nl prutsen (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi pusata (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ru ковыря́ть (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ka მოკალვა (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · sv mecka (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi tinata (to work as a tinker) · cmn 修修补补 (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ru вози́ться (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fr bidouiller (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ms menggodek-godek (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ro cârpăci (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · vi táy máy (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · de basteln (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · mi rāwekeweke (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ka დარჩილვა (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · sv knåpa (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi värkätä (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · hu babrál (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · tr tamir etmek (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · es cacharrear (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · cs vrtat se (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · it arrabattarsi (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · sv joxa (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · nl sleutelen (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi näpelöidä (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · apc سَكَّج (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi tehdä vilunkia (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · cs šťourat se (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · es trastear (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · bg поправям на бърза ръка (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · ja 鋳掛をする (to work as a tinker) · fr manipuler (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi nikkaroida (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it) · fi viilata (to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix or improve it)