fiddle vs tinker

fiddle

verb
  • Synonym of tinker, to make small adjustments or improvements. 

  • To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style. 

  • To cheat or swindle; to commit fraud. 

  • To fidget or play; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness. 

noun
  • Synonym of workaround, a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem. 

  • A rack for drying pottery after glazing. 

  • A dock (Rumex pulcher) with leaves supposed to resemble the musical instrument. 

  • Synonym of clown: an unserious person entertaining a group. 

  • Any rail or device that prevents items from sliding off a table, stove, etc. in rough water. 

  • Synonym of violin, a small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin and played with a bow; the position of a violinist in a band; (usually proscribed) any of various bowed stringed instruments, particularly those of the violin family when played non-classically. 

  • A long pole pulled by a draft animal to drag loose straw, hay, etc. 

tinker

verb
  • To work as a tinker. 

  • To fiddle with something in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it, especially in an experimental or unskilled manner. 

noun
  • A bird, the razor-billed auk. 

  • A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster. 

  • An itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of metal. 

  • The act of repair or invention. 

  • Someone who repairs, or attempts repair, on anything mechanical, or who invents such devices; one who tinkers; a tinkerer. 

  • Any of various fish: chub mackerel, silverside, skate, or young mackerel about two years old. 

How often have the words fiddle and tinker occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )