Talk:tinker

Transitive?

One of G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown stories mentions "the broken bureau-lock and tinkered window-pane". Does this imply a transitive sense of the verb? Equinox ◑ 13:35, 30 March 2016 (UTC)

 Done Equinox ◑ 22:10, 14 September 2019 (UTC)

Botcher, bungler; to botch or bungle

Chambers 1908 also defines tinker as "a botcher or bungler" and "a botch or bungle", and (intransitive verb) "to make a botch or mess of anything". This seems to have broader application than merely attempting to mend an object. Equinox ◑ 22:09, 14 September 2019 (UTC)