tinker

CEFRB2

/ˈtɪŋkəː/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To make small changes to something without a clear plan.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    A member of the Irish Traveller community or of other itinerant groups; a gypsy.

Examples

  • I've always found Tinker Bell very sexy.

  • Tom likes to tinker with things because he believes there's always a better way.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • [ˈtʰɪŋkɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪŋkɹ̩]

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meaning

  1. A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.

noun

Extra meanings

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

  2. Someone who repairs, or attempts repair, on anything mechanical, or who invents such devices; one who tinkers; a tinkerer.

More examples

In context

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

  • 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.

  • the broken bureau-lock and tinkered window-pane

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

My grandfather loves to blank with old clocks and watches in his free time.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”).