tink´er|er

tink|er «TIHNG kuhr», noun, verb.

–n.

1. a man who mends pots, pans, kettles, and other metal household articles, usually wandering from place to place.

2. Figurative. unskilled or clumsy work; activity that is rather useless.

3. a person who does such work.

4. any one of various fishes or birds, such as a small or young mackerel, a silversides, or a kind of auk.

–v.t.

to mend, patch, or repair, especially in an unskilled or clumsy way.

–v.i.

1. to work in an unskilled or clumsy way: »

The boys were tinkering with the clock and broke it.

2. Figurative. to work or keep busy in a rather useless way; putter: »

to tinker with a radio, to tinker with an idea.

╂[Middle English tynekere, perhaps ultimately < tin, or tink to mend pots, solder]

–tink´er|er, noun.