to fritz

Examples

• All

• - Damn storm fritzed up the whole system.

  The Manhattan Project (1986)

• After the power outage, my laptop fritzed and wouldn't turn back on.

• Kevin overwhelmed—walking away—down the hall—completely fritzed—leaving her standing there.

  Fiction book (1997)

• The old TV fritzed and showed nothing but static during the big game.

Synonyms

D

to die

vsto fritz

498 4.6

To stop working, often suddenly

is used for failure without necessarily implying permanence

F

to fail

vsto fritz

370 2.2

Stop working properly, as a machine or part

is narrower, focusing on devices rather than any system

B

to break down

vsto fritz

194 3.2

To stop working because of a problem

refers to stopping working not necessarily implying collapse

C

to crash

vsto fritz

• Specialized

156 3.2

To stop working suddenly, especially for a computer or program

is broader, applying to devices beyond just computer systems

C

to cut out

vsto fritz

45 4.1

To stop working suddenly

covers failures that can be gradual as well as sudden

G

to go bad

vsto fritz

• US

33 3.5

Stop working and need repair

focuses more on device failure rather than a general stoppage

G

to go kablooie

vsto fritz

• Slang

9.9

To suddenly break or stop working in a dramatic way

describes ordinary stopping without the dramatic explosion image

Antonyms

F

to function

441 2.6

To work in a particular role or job

R

to repair

365 1.0

To fix something that is broken or not working

Idioms

O

on the fritz

• Informal

17 8.9

Not working properly, like a machine or phone

How Broken

to break down

194 3.2

to fail

370 2.2

to fritz

• Informal

1 8.0

malfunction

96 4.5

to act up

• Informal

28 4.8

Surface Forms

Etymology