| / English Dictionary |
TINKER
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Small mackerel found nearly worldwide
Synonyms:
chub mackerel; Scomber japonicus; tinker
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("tinker" is a kind of...):
mackerel (any of various fishes of the family Scombridae)
Holonyms ("tinker" is a member of...):
genus Scomber; Scomber (type genus of the Scombridae)
Sense 2
Meaning:
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
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("tinker" is a kind of...):
gipsy; gypsy; itinerant (a laborer who moves from place to place as demanded by employment)
Sense 3
Meaning:
A person who enjoys fixing and experimenting with machines and their parts
Synonyms:
tinker; tinkerer
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Hypernyms ("tinker" is a kind of...):
experimenter (a person who enjoys testing innovative ideas)
Derivation:
tinker (do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly)
II. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they tinker ... he / she / it tinkers
Past simple: tinkered
Past participle: tinkered
-ing form: tinkering
Sense 1
Meaning:
Try to fix or mend
Example:
She always fiddles with her van on the weekend
Synonyms:
fiddle; tinker
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "tinker" is one way to...):
bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 2
Meaning:
Do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
Example:
The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house
Synonyms:
mess around; monkey; monkey around; muck about; muck around; potter; putter; tinker
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "tinker" is one way to...):
work (exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tinker"):
puddle (mess around, as in a liquid or paste)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Derivation:
tinker; tinkerer (a person who enjoys fixing and experimenting with machines and their parts)
tinkerer (an unskilled person who tries to fix or mend)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Work as a tinker or tinkerer
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "tinker" is one way to...):
do work; work (be employed)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Context examples:
“What do you mean,” said the tinker, “by wearing my brother's silk handkerchief! Give it over here!”
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
“Ain't you, by G—? If you make a brag of your honesty to me,” said the tinker, “I'll knock your brains out.”
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
“Where are you going?” said the tinker, gripping the bosom of my shirt with his blackened hand.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
When I looked down at the trampers whom we passed, and saw that well-remembered style of face turned up, I felt as if the tinker's blackened hand were in the bosom of my shirt again.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Before I could obey, however, the tinker seized the handkerchief out of my hand with a roughness that threw me away like a feather, and putting it loosely round his own neck, turned upon the woman with an oath, and knocked her down.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
I recollect one young fellow—a tinker, I suppose, from his wallet and brazier—who had a woman with him, and who faced about and stared at me thus; and then roared to me in such a tremendous voice to come back, that I halted and looked round.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
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