tinker, tailor

Questions

What does tinker, tailor mean?

A method of choosing between two or more people or things, used by children. The child points to each item in turn (or alternately), while saying the rhyme "tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief", moving to the next item after naming each profession. The item pointed at on the word 'thief' is the one chosen.

How to pronounce tinker, tailor

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “tinker, tailor”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “tinker, tailor”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “tinker, tailor” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.