tinker
tinker — 動詞
- tinkerpresent simple I / you / we / they
- tinkers3rd person singular
- tinkering-ing form
- tinkeredpast simple
1. to make small, often experimental changes to a machine, a piece of software, or
修整
為修理或改善而進行小規模調整
to make small, often experimental changes to a machine, a piece of software, or a system, hoping to fix a problem or help it work more smoothly
The mechanic tinkered with the old lawnmower engine until it finally started again.
技師調整那台舊割草機的引擎，直到它終於重新發動。
tinker with + machine (engine)
Wei kept tinkering with the website layout, adjusting the font and colours for hours.
Wei 不斷調整網站的版面，花了好幾個小時修改字型和按鈕的顏色。
Amara tinkered with the spices instead of following the recipe exactly.
Amara 沒有完全照著食譜做，而是調整了香料的比例。
tinker with + recipe / plan
Diego spent the afternoon tinkering with his drone to improve its camera stabilisation.
Diego 花了一整個下午調整他的無人機，想改善鏡頭的穩定性。
- tinker with an engine
- tinker with the settings
- tinker with a recipe
- tinker with the code
- tinker with the design
- fiddle with
more informal, often suggests impatience or a lack of skill
- adjust
more neutral and precise, does not imply experimentation
- tweak
more specific to fine-tuning, usually for digital or mechanical settings
文法句型
tinker with + noun phrase
用法筆記
Always used with the preposition 'with' before the object. The changes implied are small and experimental rather than a complete overhaul.
常見錯誤
tinker — 名詞
- tinkersingular
- tinkersplural
1. someone whose job in past centuries was to travel between villages and towns ear
補鍋匠
四處修補鍋具的人
someone whose job in past centuries was to travel between villages and towns earning money by mending metal household items such as pots, pans, and kettles
In the 1800s, a tinker visited farming villages each month to mend pots with holes.
在十九世紀，補鍋匠每個月都會到農村去修補有洞的鍋子。
historical context: 1800s
The museum has a display of tools that a travelling tinker carried in his cart.
博物館裡展示著一位四處旅行的補鍋匠放在推車上的工具。
Before hardware stores existed, villagers relied on the local tinker to fix their metal pots.
在五金行出現之前，村民靠當地的補鍋匠來修補金屬炊具。
The tinker set up a stall at the market and sharpened knives for the farmers.
補鍋匠在市場廣場擺了一個小攤，幫農夫磨刀。
tinker's stall at market
A tinker's cart could be heard from far away by the clanging of metal pots.
遠遠就能聽到補鍋匠推車上的金屬鍋子碰撞作響的聲音。
- travelling tinker
- village tinker
- tinker's cart
用法筆記
Now mostly used in historical contexts or literature. The modern equivalent would be someone who repairs household metal items as a trade.
2. a mischievous or troublesome young person, especially a child who is rude or cau
搗蛋鬼
調皮搗蛋的小孩
a mischievous or troublesome young person, especially a child who is rude or causes minor trouble
Mrs. Okonkwo called her son a little tinker after he pulled the cat's tail.
Okonkwo 太太罵兒子是小搗蛋鬼，因為他拉了貓的尾巴。
UK informal: 'little tinker'
The teacher described the boys as tinkers after they tipped over the bin.
老師說那群男孩是搗蛋鬼，因為他們翻倒了垃圾桶。
His grandmother shook her head and called him a cheeky little tinker.
他的祖母搖搖頭，說他是個厚臉皮的小搗蛋。
collocation: cheeky little tinker
Mrs. Okonkwo called the kids tinkers after they climbed the fence and trampled her flowers.
Okonkwo 太太罵那些小孩是搗蛋鬼，因為他們爬過圍欄踩壞了她的花。
concrete mischief scenario
- little tinker
- young tinker
- angel
used playfully for a very well-behaved child
用法筆記
Used primarily in British English, sometimes as a mild scolding term. Can be considered derogatory depending on context.
常見錯誤
❌ Using this sense in American English — it is almost unknown in the US and will cause confusion.
3. the hobbyist practice of carrying out small, experimental changes to a device or
小修理
對機械的小調整修理
the hobbyist practice of carrying out small, experimental changes to a device or system, viewed as a casual or amateur pursuit rather than formal professional repair
A quick tinker with the television antenna brought the picture back into focus.
稍微調整了一下電視天線，畫面就重新變清楚了。
a [noun] tinker with + device
After hours of tinkering, Soren admitted he had only made the noise worse.
經過好幾個小時的修整，Soren 承認他反而讓噪音變得更大了。
A bit of tinkering with the bike brakes stopped the squeaking.
腳踏車的煞車經過稍微修整之後，吱吱聲就不再出現了。
a bit of tinker + with + device
The watch needed some gentle tinkering before it worked again.
那只手錶需要細心修整一下才能重新運作。
- a tinker with something
- some tinker
- fiddling
more informal, sometimes suggests wasting time
- adjustment
more formal and precise
- tweaking
informal, focuses on fine-tuning
用法筆記
This noun form is typically uncountable and is used similarly to 'fiddling' or 'adjusting'. Less common than the verb form.
4. a highly offensive word used to refer to a Romani person, a Traveller, or any me
侮辱性稱呼
對旅居者的侮辱性稱呼
a highly offensive word used to refer to a Romani person, a Traveller, or any member of a traditionally nomadic community; comparable to other ethnic slurs and should never be used
The BBC's 2021 guidelines label 'tinker' an unacceptable term for Romani or Irish Travellers.
BBC 的 2021 年編輯方針將 tinker 列為不可用來稱呼羅姆人或愛爾蘭旅居者的詞語。
usage warning: offensive slur — BBC editorial guidelines
Dublin campaigners urged the local paper to stop using 'tinker' about Travellers.
都柏林倡議人士呼籲當地報紙停止在報導中使用 tinker 來稱呼旅居者。
campaign against the word's use in journalism
A Glasgow head teacher warned that calling a Romani student a tinker meant disciplinary action.
格拉斯哥的一位校長警告說，稱呼羅姆學生為 tinker 會招致紀律處分。
not tolerated in schools
A 2015 report showed that 'tinker' still caused harm in Irish primary schools.
一份 2015 年的報告顯示，tinker 一詞仍在愛爾蘭小學造成傷害。
2015 report on harm caused
用法筆記
⚠️ STRONG WARNING: This is a racial slur in the UK and Ireland when used to refer to Travellers or Romani people. It carries strong negative connotations and is considered deeply offensive. The neutral terms are 'Traveller' (or 'Irish Traveller') and 'Romani' (or 'Roma'). Do not use this word to describe a person from a travelling community.