tin-pot

alternative tinpot · alternative tin pot

1. figurativelyinformalnot comparableOf inferior quality; shoddy.

   It was a great comfort to turn from that chap to my influential friend, the battered, twisted, ruined, tin-pot steamboat.

   1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I

   Synonyms: ass, bad, base, below par, bottom-shelf, BTEC, bum, cheap

2. figurativelyinformalnot comparableInsignificant or minor, especially in an amusing and petty manner.

   Jim Hacker: Why are we having an official visit from this tin-pot little African country? / Sir Humphrey Appleby: Minister, I beg of you not to refer to it as a tin-pot little African country. It's an LDC.

   1980 March 3, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “The Official Visit”, in Yes, Minister, season 1, episode 2, spoken by Jim Hacker and Humphrey Appleby (Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne)

   Synonyms: base, contemptible, floccinaucinihilipilificatious, foolish, for the birds, futile, frivolous, idle

plural tin-pots

1. figurativelyinformalA tin-pot dictator.