on the fritz
being defective (machines)
TRANSLATION
on the fritz = kaputt (z.B. Maschinen oder Anlagen) (DH) --- GOOGLE INDEX on the fritz: approximately 460,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Technology is not the solution for everything wrong with education, but neither is it a waste of time. When carefully planned, technology can make learning fun and engaging. Just don't forget - if your computers ever go ON THE FRITZ, a big stack of library books is still a great way to start a research project.
(Teaching Pre K-8, an education trade magazine)
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The system will then return to normal after the vehicle is allowed to sit for an extended period, only to go ON THE FRITZ once again when cooling demand is high.
(Motor Magazine)
(Teaching Pre K-8, an education trade magazine)
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The system will then return to normal after the vehicle is allowed to sit for an extended period, only to go ON THE FRITZ once again when cooling demand is high.
(Motor Magazine)
Did you
know?
on the fritz (US)
idiom
- not working in the usual way or not working at all
(Cambridge Dictionary Of American Idioms)
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WORD ORIGIN
On the fritz is an American expression that describes when something is broken or has ceased to work properly.
The phrase has been the subject of discussion in etymology circles for years. Nevertheless, there is no agreement regarding its origin.
The Oxford Dictionary traces the expression to 1902. Its usage at that time indicates that it had nothing to do with machines, rather with a state of affairs. The American poet and etymologist John Ciardi thought that fritz imitates the sound of a faulty electrical connection on a machine or a blown fuse (pfzt). Others say it is related to the nickname for a German soldier, Fritz. What this has to do with the sense of something not working is unclear.
The Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins believes it may nevertheless have come from someone called Fritz - in the comic strip called The Katzenjammer Kids. The strip was created by Rudolph Dirks in 1897 for the Sunday edition of the New York Journal and was in part inspired by the Max and Moritz stories.
The two wild youngsters Hans and Fritz created all sorts of trouble for anyone in a position of authority, particularly the Captain, a shipwrecked sailor who was their surrogate father. As a result of their exploits, the two boys caused the Captain's plans to be "on the fritz” by the end of the comic strip.
(sources: The Word Detective, Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins, www.kingfeatures.com)
FYI the British equivalent is "on the blink”.
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SYNONYMS
busted, disabled, down, fallen apart, faulty, haywire, hosed, in disrepair, inoperable, inoperative, kaput, not functioning, on the blink, on the bum, out of order, ruined, run-down, screwed up, shot, spent, wrecked
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ANTONYMS
fixed, functioning, in gear, running, unbroken, up and running, working
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO A CONVERSATION TODAY
say something like:
"The office coffee machine is on the fritz again, let's go to Starbucks.”
Thanks to Sebastian for suggesting today's word!
idiom
- not working in the usual way or not working at all
(Cambridge Dictionary Of American Idioms)
---
WORD ORIGIN
On the fritz is an American expression that describes when something is broken or has ceased to work properly.
The phrase has been the subject of discussion in etymology circles for years. Nevertheless, there is no agreement regarding its origin.
The Oxford Dictionary traces the expression to 1902. Its usage at that time indicates that it had nothing to do with machines, rather with a state of affairs. The American poet and etymologist John Ciardi thought that fritz imitates the sound of a faulty electrical connection on a machine or a blown fuse (pfzt). Others say it is related to the nickname for a German soldier, Fritz. What this has to do with the sense of something not working is unclear.
The Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins believes it may nevertheless have come from someone called Fritz - in the comic strip called The Katzenjammer Kids. The strip was created by Rudolph Dirks in 1897 for the Sunday edition of the New York Journal and was in part inspired by the Max and Moritz stories.
The two wild youngsters Hans and Fritz created all sorts of trouble for anyone in a position of authority, particularly the Captain, a shipwrecked sailor who was their surrogate father. As a result of their exploits, the two boys caused the Captain's plans to be "on the fritz” by the end of the comic strip.
(sources: The Word Detective, Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins, www.kingfeatures.com)
FYI the British equivalent is "on the blink”.
---
SYNONYMS
busted, disabled, down, fallen apart, faulty, haywire, hosed, in disrepair, inoperable, inoperative, kaput, not functioning, on the blink, on the bum, out of order, ruined, run-down, screwed up, shot, spent, wrecked
---
ANTONYMS
fixed, functioning, in gear, running, unbroken, up and running, working
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO A CONVERSATION TODAY
say something like:
"The office coffee machine is on the fritz again, let's go to Starbucks.”
Thanks to Sebastian for suggesting today's word!
