tinker
gb/tˈɪŋkɚ/ us/tˈɪŋkɚ/
B2
Kiingereza
bíbelődik, állítgat, bütyköl, belenyúl, variál, drótostót, sértő megnevezés az ír travellerekre
KITENZI
B2
1
Muundo wa matumizi:
tinker (with) [something]
I spent an hour tinkering with the camera settings to get the color right.
Egy órán át bíbelődtem a kamera beállításaival, hogy jó legyen a szín.
She’s always tinkering with her résumé, even when she’s not job-hunting.
Mindig állítgatja az önéletrajzát, még akkor is, amikor épp nem keres állást.
If you tinker with the pricing too often, customers get confused.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
He tinkered with the radio until it worked.
Addig bíbelődött a rádióval, amíg működni nem kezdett.
Don’t tinker with my phone settings.
Ne állítgasd a telefonom beállításait.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners often forget the preposition: say “tinker with the settings,” not “tinker the settings.”
Maana
make small changes experimentally
Miunganiko ya maneno
tinker with the settings
|tinker with the design
|tinker with the plan
|tinker with the code
|tinker with an app
|tinker with a recipe
|tinker with the engine
|tinker with the schedule
|tinker with the formula
|tinker with the system
Visawe
fiddle (More informal; often suggests needless or slightly annoying changes.)
|
tweak (Usually implies a small improvement; often used in tech/design.)
|
adjust (More neutral and deliberate; less experimental than tinker.)
Vinyume
leave alone (Not changing or interfering with something.)
|
overhaul (Make major changes, not small ones.)
Mada
daily_life
|technology
|problem_solving
Ufafanuzi
To change something a little bit to improve it or test it.
To make small adjustments to something in an informal, experimental way, often to improve it or see what happens.
KITENZI
B2
2
bütyköl
B2
Muundo wa matumizi:
tinker (around) (in/with) [place/thing]
On weekends he tinkers in the garage and fixes up old bikes.
Hétvégén a garázsban bütyköl, és régi bicikliket hoz rendbe.
I like tinkering with electronics, but I’m not an engineer.
Szeretek elektronikával bütykölni, de nem vagyok mérnök.
They spent the afternoon tinkering with a DIY speaker kit.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
She tinkers with old radios.
Régi rádiókat bütyköl.
He tinkers in his workshop.
A műhelyében bütyköl.
Kosa la kawaida:
“Tinker” usually suggests informal, small-scale work, not professional repair work.
Maana
do casual repairs as hobby
Miunganiko ya maneno
tinker in the garage
|tinker with electronics
|tinker with bikes
|tinker with computers
|tinker with old cars
|tinker with gadgets
|tinker with hardware
|tinker with robots
Visawe
mess around (Very informal; can imply no clear purpose.)
|
potter (BrE; suggests doing small tasks slowly and casually.)
|
build (More goal-directed and may be larger in scope than tinker.)
Vinyume
hire a professional (Pay someone else to do the repair or installation.)
|
neglect (Not taking care of something or not working on it.)
Mada
hobbies
|home
|tools
|technology
Ufafanuzi
To do small repairs or build things for fun.
To spend time repairing, building, or improving mechanical or electronic things as a hobby, usually in a relaxed, hands-on way.
KITENZI
C1
3
Muundo wa matumizi:
tinker with [system/rules/arrangement]
Every time they tinker with the algorithm, creators complain about the results.
Valahányszor belenyúlnak az algoritmusba, az alkotók panaszkodnak az eredményekre.
Stop tinkering with the rules halfway through the tournament.
Ne variáljatok a szabályokkal a torna kellős közepén.
The report warned that tinkering with the system could make it less secure.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
Don’t tinker with the rules.
Ne variálj a szabályokkal.
They tinkered with the system and broke it.
Belenyúltak a rendszerbe, és elrontották.
Kosa la kawaida:
This sense is often critical: it implies the changes are unnecessary or risky.
Maana
meddle and risk causing problems
Miunganiko ya maneno
tinker with the rules
|tinker with regulations
|tinker with the tax code
|tinker with the constitution
|tinker with the algorithm
|tinker with policy
Visawe
meddle (Stronger negative judgment; suggests unwanted interference.)
|
tamper (Implies improper or unauthorized interference, often physical.)
|
interfere (Neutral to negative; focuses on getting involved and affecting an outcome.)
Vinyume
stabilize (Keep something steady and consistent.)
|
maintain (Keep something as it is and functioning.)
Mada
business
|government
|problem_solving
Ufafanuzi
To change something a little in a way that may not help.
To interfere with something (especially a system, rules, or a situation) by making small changes that may not be helpful and could cause trouble.
NOMINO
C1
LITERARY
4
drótostót
C2
Muundo wa matumizi:
a tinker
In the story, a tinker arrives in town to mend pots and kettles.
A történetben egy drótostót érkezik a városba, hogy megjavítsa a fazekakat és a kannákat.
The museum display described the tools a tinker would carry from village to village.
A múzeumi tárlat bemutatta, milyen szerszámokat vitt magával a drótostót faluról falura.
Maana
itinerant mender of household items
Miunganiko ya maneno
a travelling tinker
|a village tinker
Visawe
mender (General term for someone who repairs things; not necessarily traveling.)
|
repairer (Neutral and modern; lacks the historical/traveling sense.)
Vinyume
breaker (Someone who damages rather than repairs.)
Mada
history
|work
Ufafanuzi
In the past, a person who traveled to fix metal pots and pans.
A person who travels from place to place repairing household items such as pots and pans (now mainly historical).
NOMINO
C1
SLANG
5
Muundo wa matumizi:
a tinker
The school addressed the incident after a student used “tinker” as a slur.
Az iskola foglalkozott az esettel, miután egy diák sértésként használta a „tinker” szót.
In many places, “tinker” is considered an offensive label and should be avoided.
Sok helyen a „tinker” sértő megnevezésnek számít, ezért kerülni kell.
Kosa la kawaida:
Do not use this to refer to people; it is widely considered a slur in many contexts.
Maana
offensive term for Irish Traveller
Visawe
slur (Not a synonym in meaning; indicates the word’s function as an insult.)
Mada
society
|identity
Ufafanuzi
An offensive word for an Irish Traveller (avoid).
An offensive term for a member of the Irish Traveller community.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
tinker
IPA
GB/tˈɪŋkɚ/
US/tˈɪŋkɚ/
Silabi na mkazo
tinker (silabi 1)
Stress on 1st syllable (tinker)
Maumbo ya neno
Noun
- Base: tinker
- Plural: tinker, tinkers
Verb
- Base: tinker
- 3rd Person Singular: tinkers
- Present Participle: tinkering
- Past: tinkered
Semi
tinker around
1/tˈɪŋkɚ ɚˈaʊnd/
phrasal verb
informal
do small casual work
To work on something in a casual way for fun.
Mifano
- I was just tinkering around with a new app idea.
- He tinkered around with the bike until the brakes felt better.
- We spent the afternoon tinkering around in the garden shed.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- They tinkered around with the old computer.
tinker at/around the edges
1/tˈɪŋkɚ ətɚˈaʊnd ðə ˈɛd͡ʒɪz/
idiom
make minor changes, not real reform
To make small changes that don’t solve the main problem.
Mifano
- The proposal just tinkers around the edges instead of fixing the housing shortage.
- We can’t keep tinkering at the edges of the budget; we need a new plan.
- They accused the committee of tinkering at the edges of the issue.
tinker away
1/tˈɪŋkɚ əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
informal
keep working in small steps
To keep making small changes for a long time.
Mifano
- She tinkered away at the model plane until midnight.
- They’ve been tinkering away at the new design for months.
- I’ll tinker away with the settings and see if it runs faster.