fritz
19
7.7
Not working properly, often broken
- noun
- /frɪts/
- Informal
:
avería
- The Christmas lights are on the fritz again.
- went on the fritz
Examples
-
The radio's on the fritz.
Fiction book (1993) -
My toaster's on the fritz.
-
Our computer went on the fritz again.
Fiction book (1992) -
Yeah, but he said his phone was on the fritz.
-
Alarm clock on the fritz again?
-
The ice machine a few feet outside his door was on the fritz.
Fiction book (1995) -
By the way, is your truck also on the fritz?
Fiction book (1993) -
All the monitors are on the fritz.
-
Our furnace is on the fritz.
Blog text (23) -
The microwave is on the fritz, and I can't heat my coffee.
Idioms
How Well
working
322
1.0
322
1.0
to glitch
3
5.8
- Specialized
3
5.8
fritz
19
7.7
- Informal
19
7.7
malfunction
98
4.5
98
4.5
breakdown
17
3.5
17
3.5
Surface Forms
Etymology
Fritz as in 'on the fritz' probably comes from the German name Fritz, which English speakers began using in the early 1900s. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine a machine called 'Fritz' that stops working, so when something is 'on the fritz' it is not working.