tinker

t. & i. [TINKER, 8. ] A. Trans.: To work at or on, as a tinker; to mend in a clumsy, awkward manner; to patch, to botch. (Sometimes followed by up .) B. In trans.: To work at tinkering; to work upon a thing clumsily or awkwardly; to meddle somewhat officiously; to patch up things. "I should oppose any mere tinkering of its constitution which would retain the hereditary principles as its chief feature." - London Standard . *tín-ker-lý, a . [Eng. tinker : -ly.] Pertaining to or like a tinker; clumsy, awkward. tin-ker-mạn, s. [Eng. tinker , and man.] A fisherman who destroyed the young fry in the river Thames by nets and unlawful apparatus. tin-kle, *tyn-cle, v. i. & t. [A freq. of tink, v. (q. v.)] IMG:content-1149.png:[blocks in formation] "A sudden horror seiz'd his giddy head, And his ears tinkled , and the color fled." Dryden: Theodore and Honoria , 94. B. Trans.: To cause to give out a sharp, ringing sound; to clink, to ring.