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Tinker vs Potter - What's the difference?

tinker | potter |

As nouns the difference between tinker and potter

is that tinker is an itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of tin while potter is one who makes pots and other ceramic wares.

As verbs the difference between tinker and potter

is that tinker is to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it, especially in an experimental or unskilled manner while potter is to poke repeatedly.

As proper nouns the difference between tinker and potter

is that tinker is {{surname|northern English|from=occupations}} for someone who mends pots and pans while Potter is {{surname|A=An|English occupational|from=occupations}} for a potter.

tinker

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • an itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of tin
  • (dated, chiefly, British, and, Irish, offensive) A member of the travelling community. A gypsy.
  • A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.
  • Someone who repairs, or attempts repair on anything mechanical (tinkers) or invents.
  • The act of repair or invention.
  • (military, obsolete) A small mortar on the end of a staff.
  • Any of various fish: the chub mackerel, the silverside, the skate, or a young mackerel about two years old.
  • A bird, the razor-billed auk.
  • (Webster 1913)

    Synonyms

    * (mischievous person) rapscallion, rascal, rogue, scamp, scoundrel * (member of the travelling community) traveller

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To fiddle with something in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it, especially in an experimental or unskilled manner.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
  • , author=Robert M. Pringle , title=How to Be Manipulative , volume=100, issue=1, page=31 , magazine= citation , passage=As in much of biology, the most satisfying truths in ecology derive from manipulative experimentation. Tinker with nature and quantify how it responds.}}
  • To work as a tinker.
  • See also

    * * tinker's damn

    Anagrams

    *

    potter

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) pottere, from late (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.
  • * 1961 , J. A. Philip, "Mimesis in the Sophistês'' of Plato," ''Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association , vol. 92, p. 453,
  • shoemakers, weavers, potters , bronzeworkers who produced and purveyed the articles necessary for daily life.
  • (idiomatic, biblical) God, the creator.
  • * 1611. Old Testament , King James Version, Isaiah 64:8,
  • But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter ; and we are the work of thy hand.
  • * 1978. Old Testament , New International Version, Isaiah 64:8,
  • O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter ; we are all the work of thy hand.
  • One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.
  • One who pots meats or other eatables.
  • One who hawks crockery or earthenware.
  • (De Quincey)
  • The (red-bellied terrapin), .
  • .
  • Synonyms
    * (Pseudemys rubriventris) (northern red-bellied cooter),
    Derived terms
    * potter’s clay * potter’s field * potter’s rot * potter’s wheel * pottery

    References

    * (Biblical) Bratcher, Dennis Bratcher (2006), The Potter'', ''The Voice CRI/Voice Institute [http://www.crivoice.org/phototour/ppotter.html]

    Etymology 2

    Frequentative of pote, equivalent to .

    Alternative forms

    * putter, pouter, pudder, pother

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To poke repeatedly.
  • (British) To act in a vague or unmotivated way.
  • (British) To move slowly or aimlessly. (Often (potter about), (potter around))
  • Derived terms
    * potter about * potter around English agent nouns ---- ==Norwegian Bokmål==

    Noun

  • ----