Tinker  —n. 1 itinerant mender of kettles and pans etc. 2 scot. & ir. Gypsy. 3 colloq. Mischievous person or animal. 4 spell of tinkering. —v. 1 (foll. By at, with) work in an amateurish or desultory way. 2 work as a tinker. [origin unknown]