Not worth a tinker's dam meaning

What does the saying 'Not worth a tinker's dam' mean?

Idiom: Not worth a tinker's dam

Meaning:

This means that something is worthless and dates back to when someone would travel around the countryside repairing things such as a kitchen pot with a hole in it. He was called a 'tinker'. His dam was used to stop the flow of soldering material being used to close the hole. Of course his 'trade' is passé, thus his dam is worth nothing.
Country: International English | Subject Area: Profession, work or study | Usage Type: Both or All Words Used
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