Library / English Dictionary

POTTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A craftsman who shapes pottery on a potter's wheel and bakes them it a kiln

Synonyms:

ceramicist; ceramist; potter; thrower

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("potter" is a kind of...):

artificer; artisan; craftsman; journeyman (a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft)

Instance hyponyms:

Josiah Spode; Spode (English potter who started a pottery famous for its bone china (1754-1827))

Josiah Wedgwood; Wedgwood (English potter (1730-1795))

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move around aimlessly

Synonyms:

potter; potter around; putter; putter around

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "potter" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

potterer (a person who putters about)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly

Example:

The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house

Synonyms:

mess around; monkey; monkey around; muck about; muck around; potter; putter; tinker

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "potter" is one way to...):

work (exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "potter"):

puddle (mess around, as in a liquid or paste)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

potterer (a person who putters about)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Work lightly

Example:

The old lady is pottering around in the garden

Synonyms:

potter; putter

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "potter" is one way to...):

busy; occupy (keep busy with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

potterer (a person who putters about)

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