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Mar 11, 1994 · Noting that the earliest citation of “on the fritz” in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1903, word detectives William and Mary Morris guess that it all started with the comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids, which began around that time. The kids are named Hans and Fritz, who make trouble for the Captain.
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The Origins of “On The Fritz”. The exact origin of this idiom is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in America in the early 20th century. Some speculate that it may have been derived from German immigrants who used a similar phrase “auf der Fritz” which means “in a state of disorder”.
The meaning of FRITZ is a state of disorder or disrepair —used in the phrase on the fritz. How to use fritz in a sentence.
Jul 17, 2023 · Origin. What's the origin of On the Fritz? The exact origin of the phrase “On the Fritz” is somewhat uncertain, but it is believed to have originated in the United States in the late 19th or early 20th century. There are two different etymologies for the expression.
4 days ago · on the fritz. (of electrical or mechanical appliances, idiomatic, Northern US) Out of order; malfunctioning; broken . Synonyms: fritzed, (Australian) bung, (UK, Australia) on the blink, (offensive) spaz. I'd record it, but my tape deck is on the fritz again.
Aug 11, 2001 · The phrase is now a common American expression meaning that some mechanism is malfunctioning or broken: “The washing machine’s on the fritz again” (the British and Australian equivalent would be on the blink). However, when it first appeared — about 1902 — it meant that something was in a bad way or bad condition.
May 26, 2021 · The two leading hypotheses for the origins are, first, that on the fritz comes from the German pet name Fritz, short for Friedrich. Specifically, the cartoon characters the Katzenjammer Kids, Hans and Fritz, are often put forward as inspiration for the phrase.
