Tinker's Damn Definition

Origin of Tinker's Damn

• However, this is just polish added to an old phrase, as not worth a damn predates the use of tinker's damn. The reference to tinkers was added for emphasis and colour - tinkers were known for swearing, so a damn from a tinker was particularly worthless. Also, it was a way, as with "Fudge" or "Geez Louise" or a million other soft-core curses, to avoid saying the actual word "damn" while pronouncing the word "dam".

  From Wiktionary

• A popular etymology is that tinkers used a small piece of dough or clay, a dam, to stop the flow of solder until it solidified. The dam was single-use, and was thrown away afterwards as useless.

  From Wiktionary

• Probably from the reputation of tinkers for cursing

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition