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tinkers

Tinkers is a term for a group of Irish Travellers who worked with tin and mended pots and pans from door to door in rural Ireland before urbanisation in the 1960's. This is a perjoritive term these days and is used to insult Irish Travellers, as gyppo is to insult Romani people (different ethnic nomads in Britain & Ireland).

Not all Irish Travellers were tinkers (from tinsmithing or tinsmith) as there were horse dealers, market traders etc.

Irish Travellers have their own distinct culture, traditions, way of life and language and are indigenious to Ireland and are said to be here in Ireland before the Celts arrived in Ireland 500 yrs BC.
"irish travellers are all tinkers"

"No, its a term, often negative"
by tinker-boy August 16, 2006
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tinkers

Widely known as Irish gypsies residing in Ireland and also in the UK. My Irish nan used to tell my mum that if she was naughty one evening that she would "leave her outside for the tinkers", as it was said that they stole children.

Another meaning of tinkers is esctasy pills.
"got any tinkers?" or "tinkers, tinkers, anyone wanna buy any tinkers?" as some drug dealers in nightclubs in the South East of England would say.
by maya2007 May 26, 2007
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tinkers

Irish gypsies. often referred to as dirty by romani gypsies - the original gypsy ppl not just some person who has decided to live in a caravan. A romani gypsy will have a very distinctive look, usually olive sking long dark hair and wears excessive amounts of gold jewellery.
by 123 July 23, 2003
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tinkers

Can I buy 50 tinkers off you?
by Simes November 20, 2007
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Tinkers

originating in latin americain truckstops. then moving north to the midwest areas. Tinkers are the small decorative shot glasses that 80-90 year old women collect as they make one last trip across the nation before thay die. These people are called "Tinkerers or Tinkalingers" As of July 23 the Record for most tinkers was 389 from Janie Briggs, a resident of Michletown MI.
"Sandy Sue just got a new dolphin tinker from "Dirty Dicks " in Dothan, and damn, that mo- fo is fine as can be!
by aaron carter July 23, 2004
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tinkers invitation

A last minute invite to a function usually as replacement for an invited person who can't make it.
I got a tinkers invitation to Julie's wedding this weekend, I wonder who bailed .
by Jessyjes November 5, 2017
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rats tinkers darn

not caring about something.
"I don't give a rats tinkers darn what you do!"
by pleauism June 16, 2009
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