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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.
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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”.
Jul 17, 2023 · One identifies the term “Fritz” as an onomatopoetic word, mimicing the sparking sound of a faulty wire. This is considered to be a more likely origin, as the expression has been around in American English as early as 1905.
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.
Something that is on the fritz means out of order or not operating correctly. The idiom usually applies to electronic appliances and other machinery. The origins of on the fritz are mysterious.
May 26, 2021 · When something is on the fritz or on the blink it is out of order or otherwise in unsatisfactory condition. The two phrases are Americanisms and start appearing around the turn of the twentieth century, but otherwise the origins of both are obscure.
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.
