Definition of "mechanic"

[…] these mechanick Philosophers being in no Way able to give an Account thereof from the necessary motion of Matter, unguided by Mind for Ends […]

1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […]

But, for the unquiet heart and brain,⁠A use in measured language lies;⁠The sad mechanic exercise,Like dull narcotics, numbing pain.

1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], canto V

Mechanic slaves,With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers.

c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene ii]

Authors both Sacred and Profane we see complain of the Level of Learning, with Mechanick Ignorance: [...]

1654, Richard Whitlock, Zootomia; Or, Observations on the Present Manners of the English

But then they did not wrong themſelves ſo much, / To make a God, a Hero, or a King, / (Stripp'd of his golden Crown and purple Robe) / Deſcend to a Mechanick Dialect, / Nor (to avoid ſuch meanneſs) ſoaring high / With empty ſound, and aiery notions fly; [...]

1680, Horace, translated by Earl of Roscommon , page 17

Sometimes he ply'd the ſtrong mechanic Tool, / Or rear'd the Fabrick from the fineſt Draught; [...]

1748, James Thomson, “Canto II”, in The Castle of Indolence: […], London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], stanza XII, page 47

His noble earnestness, his fidelity, his gallant shielding of her, his generous conquest of his own wrong and his own pride for her sake, are simply honourable, manly, and true. Nothing less worthy can be seen through the lustre of such qualities in the commonest mechanic, nothing less worthy can be seen in the best-born gentleman.

1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853

The lower orders were freer than they had ever been – free […] to choose their own lay preachers, mechanics like the rest of the congregation.

1972, Christopher Hill, The World Turned Upside Down, Folio Society, published 2016, page 77

And from then on, his bag was silence. Silence and killing. Overnight he became the best grunt we had, a real killer, a mechanic.

1976, Newton Thornburg, Cutter and Bone, Little, Brown, page 250

I can do other things beside burglarizing. I'm a first-class crap dealer, I'm a pretty good card mechanic, pretty good dice mechanic.

1969, Bruce Jackson, A Thief's Primer, Macmillan, page 91

It was so obvious. I mean, all of Nicky's half-assed mechanics, they were real signal happy.

1995, Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese, Casino, spoken by Ace (Robert De Niro)