| tinker | 1. A mender of brass kettles, pans, and other metal ware. "Tailors and tinkers." 2. One skilled in a variety of small mechanical work. 3. A small mortar on the end of a staff. 4. <zoology> A young mackerel about two years old. The chub mackerel. The silversides. A skate. 5. <zoology> The razor-billed auk. Origin: From Tink, because the tinker's way of proclaiming his trade is to beat a kettle, or because in his work he makes a tinkling noise. Johnson. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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