Definition: potter

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

potter
     n : a craftsman who shapes pottery on a potter's wheel and bakes
         them it a kiln [syn: thrower, ceramicist, ceramist]
     v 1: do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly;
          "The old lady is usually mucking about in her little
          house" [syn: putter, mess around, tinker, monkey,
           monkey around, muck about, muck around]
     2: work lightly; "The old lady is pottering around in the
        garden" [syn: putter]
     3: move around aimlessly [syn: putter, potter around, putter
        around]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Pother \Poth"er\, n. [Cf. D. peuteren to rummage, poke. Cf.
   Potter, Pudder.]
   Bustle; confusion; tumult; flutter; bother. [Written also
   potter, and pudder.] ``What a pother and stir!''
   --Oldham. ``Coming on with a terrible pother.'' --Wordsworth.
Potter \Pot"ter\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pottered; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Pottering.] [Cf. W. pwtio to poke, or OD. poteren to
   search one thoroughly, Sw. p[*a]ta, peta, to pick, E. pother,
   put.]
   1. To busy one's self with trifles; to labor with little
      purpose, energy, of effect; to trifle; to pother.
Potter \Pot"ter\, n. [Cf. F. potier.]
   1. One whose occupation is to make earthen vessels. --Ps. ii.
      9.

            The potter heard, and stopped his wheel.
                                                  --Longfellow.

   2. One who hawks crockery or earthenware. [Prov. Eng.] --De
      Quincey.

   3. One who pots meats or other eatables.

   4. (Zo["o]l.) The red-bellied terrapin. See Terrapin.

   Potter's asthma (Med.), emphysema of the lungs; -- so
      called because very prevalent among potters. --Parkers.

   Potter's clay. See under Clay.

   Potter's field, a public burial place, especially in a
      city, for paupers, unknown persons, and criminals; -- so
      named from the field south of Jerusalem, mentioned in
      --Matt. xxvii. 7.

   Potter's ore. See Alquifou.

   Potter's wheel, a horizontal revolving disk on which the
      clay is molded into form with the hands or tools. ``My
      thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel.'' --Shak.

   Potter wasp (Zo["o]l.), a small solitary wasp (Eumenes
      fraternal) which constructs a globular nest of mud and
      sand in which it deposits insect larv[ae], such as
      cankerworms, as food for its young.
Potter \Pot"ter\, v. t.
   To poke; to push; also, to disturb; to confuse; to bother.
   [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.

   Note: The yellow-bellied terrapin (Pseudemys acebra) of the
         Southern United States, the red-bellied terrapin
         (Pseudemys rugosa), native of the tributaries
         Chesapeake Bay (called also potter, slider, and
         redfender), and the diamond-back or salt-marsh
         terrapin (Malaclemmys palustris), are the most
         important American species. The diamond-back terrapin
         is native of nearly the whole of the Atlantic coast of
         the United States.

   Alligator terrapin, the snapping turtle.

   Mud terrapin, any one of numerous species of American
      tortoises of the genus Cinosternon.

   Painted terrapin, the painted turtle. See under Painted.
      

   Speckled terrapin, a small fresh-water American terrapin
      (Chelopus guttatus) having the carapace black with round
      yellow spots; -- called also spotted turtle.

Source: U.S. Gazetteer (1990) 

Potter, NE (village, FIPS 39870)
  Location: 41.21891 N, 103.31429 W
  Population (1990): 388 (174 housing units)
  Area: 1.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
  Zip code(s): 69156
Potter, WI (village, FIPS 64675)
  Location: 44.11961 N, 88.09774 W
  Population (1990): 252 (93 housing units)
  Area: 1.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)