obsolete Absolutely not; no way; not on your life. A tintype (also called a ferrotype) was a photograph made on a sensitized metallic base in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; why or how it came to be used in this phrase, however, is unknown. Primarily heard in US. David: "Hey John Boy, come over and help me paint the house this afternoon." John: "Not on your tintype, Davey! I've got plans tonight and have no intention of getting dirtied up before then!"