adjective · rare

rinky-dink

Of poor quality; amateurish, shoddy, small-timeOf poor quality; amateurish, shoddy, small-time.

UK/ˈɹɪŋ.kɪ.dɪŋk/US/ˈɹɪŋkiˌdɪŋk/

Meaning

3 senses

(US, informal)Of poor quality; amateurish, shoddy, small-time.
That rinky-dink shelf is likely to collapse if you fill it with books.
(US, informal)Old-fashioned, tired; also, shabby, worn-out.
(US, informal)Crooked, dishonest, underhanded.

Origin

Origin unknown; possibly a variant of rickety (“of an object: not strong or sturdy; of a p

Origin unknown; possibly a variant of rickety (“of an object: not strong or sturdy; of a person: feeble in the joints, tottering”), reduplicated with a change of the initial consonant. The noun is attested earlier than the adjective.

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