tinker tailor grass

noun

Any of several types of grass-like plant having individual ears or seeds, especially ryegrass (genus Lolium), or ribwort plantain (genus Plantago).

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Meanings

nountinker tailor grass (countable and uncountable, plural tinker tailor grasses)

plural tinker tailor grasses

  1. countableregionaluncountableAny of several types of grass-like plant having individual ears or seeds, especially ryegrass (genus Lolium), or ribwort plantain (genus Plantago).

    I'd make a daisy chain for the fairies or play with the tinker tailor grass, or just dream the time away.

    2012, Durelle Dean, Ravaged Innocence, page 82
    1 more example

    At Fifty-six Eden Street the parched front lawn was scattered with dry cocksfoot seeds and faded tinker-tailor grass.

    1984, Janet Frame, An Angel at my Table, Virago, published 2024, page 171

Origin

From its use in counting or choosing games, especially those used to divine the profession of a future sweetheart ("tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor…").

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

tinker tailor grass. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tinker%20tailor%20grass

MLA

“tinker tailor grass.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tinker%20tailor%20grass. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tinker tailor grass,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tinker%20tailor%20grass.

Source: tinker tailor grass on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.