From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Silversides \Sil"ver*sides'\, noun (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of small fishes of the family {Atherinid[ae]}, having a silvery stripe along each side of the body. The common species of the American coast ({Menidia notata}) is very abundant. Called also {silverside}, {sand smelt}, {friar}, {tailor}, and {tinker}.
{Brook silversides} (Zo["o]l.), a small fresh-water North American fish ({Labadesthes sicculus}) related to the marine silversides.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Tinker \Tink"er\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Tinkered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tinkering}.] To mend or solder, as metal wares; hence, more generally, to mend.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Tinker \Tink"er\, verb (used without an object) To busy one's self in mending old kettles, pans, etc.; to play the tinker; to be occupied with small mechanical works.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Tinker \Tink"er\, noun [From {Tink}, because the tinker's way of proclaiming his trade is to beat a kettle, or because in his work he makes a tinkling noise. Johnson.]
1. A mender of brass kettles, pans, and other metal ware. ''Tailors and tinkers.'' --Piers Plowman.
2. One skilled in a variety of small mechanical work.
3. (Ordnance) A small mortar on the end of a staff.
4. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A young mackerel about two years old. (b) The chub mackerel. (c) The silversides. (d) A skate. [Prov. Eng.]
5. (Zo["o]l.) The razor-billed auk.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: a person who enjoys fixing and experimenting with machines and their parts [syn: {tinkerer}]
3: a traveling repairman who mends broken things (such as metal household utensils) [syn: {mender}, {tinkerer}]
4: small mackerel found nearly worldwide [syn: {chub mackerel}, {Scomber japonicus}]
verb
1: do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly; "The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house" [syn: {putter}, {mess around}, {potter}, {monkey}, {monkey around}, {muck about}, {muck around}]
2: work as a tinker or tinkerer
3: try to fix or mend; "Can you tinker with the T.V. set--it's not working right"; "She always fiddles with her van on the weekend" [syn: {fiddle}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
76 Moby Thesaurus words for "tinker": cobble, cobbler, commission, condition, coquet, dabble, dally, darn, do up, doctor, doodle, fiddle, fiddle with, fiddle-faddle, fidget with, finger with, fix, fix up, fixer, flirt, fool, fool around, fool with, fribble, frivol, horse around, idle, jerk off, kid around, little Miss Fixit, loiter, maintenance man, mechanic, mechanician, meddle, mend, mender, mess, mess around, monkey, monkey around, overhaul, patch, patch up, piddle, play, play around, play with, potter, puddle, put in commission, put in order, put in repair, put in shape, putter, ready, recap, recondition, renovator, repair, repairer, repairman, restorer, retread, service, serviceman, set to rights, sew up, smatter, tinker up, toy, toy with, trifle, trouble man, troubleshooter, twiddle
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