tinker's dam

tin·ker's damn

also tin·ker's dam (tĭng′kərz)

n. Slang

The smallest degree or amount: property that is not worth a tinker's damn.

[Probably from the reputation of tinkers for cursing.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Noun

tinker's dam - something of little value; "his promise is not worth a damn"; "not worth one red cent"; "not worth shucks"

damn, darn, red cent, shucks, tinker's damn, hoot, shit

worthlessness, ineptitude - having no qualities that would render it valuable or useful; "the drill sergeant's intent was to convince all the recruits of their worthlessness"

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References in periodicals archive ?

We want to live in the present, and the only history that is worth a tinker's dam is the history we made today." If that were true, he would not have been able to tie his shoelaces.

Rijal Alma: set in stone

The truth is that old rivalries and geography and travel costs don't count a tinker's dam in this reorganization.

Greed drives college grid expansion

We want to live in the present and the only history that is worth a tinker's dam is the history we make today." The three-word version, "History is bunk," Keyes notes, is "just one more unflattering abridgement of a prominent man's words."