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• fritz
  fritz

  verb phrase

  to become inoperable.
• Fritz
  Fritz

  noun

  a German, especially a German soldier.

fritz

¹ American  

[frits] / frɪts /

verb phrase

1. fritz out to become inoperable.

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idioms

1. on the fritz, not in working order.

   Our TV went on the fritz last night.

Fritz ² American  

[frits] / frɪts /

noun

1. Older Slang: Sometimes Offensive. a German, especially a German soldier.

2. a male given name.

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fritz More Idioms  

1. see on the blink (fritz).

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Sensitive Note

Fritz was a nickname used by Allied soldiers for a German soldier during World War I and II.

Etymology

Origin of fritz¹

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; of obscure origin

Origin of Fritz²

1910–15; < German; common nickname for Friedrich

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fritz Fritz

But when Pína and Hawk arrive, their presence throws a wrench in a union that’s already on the fritz.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

But collectively, they show a country and a world order that are on the fritz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

But like every machine I've ever owned, it goes on the fritz.

From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2023

Dave Madore owns the arcade and jukeboxes inside the restaurant, where he was supposed to be Wednesday night to fix a jukebox that was on the fritz.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2023

His shirtsleeves are rolled up, which doesn’t solve much: the air-conditioning is on the fritz and the air on the plane is overheated.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Australia's Alex de Minaur, along with American pair Taylor Fritz and Learner Tien, were also earmarked to play.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The Journal’s Ben Fritz explains what went wrong at Warner Bros., once the gold standard for Hollywood.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

"Vaccine hesitancy should not simply be understood as a lack of scientific knowledge among the public," Daniel Fritz Silvallana, a health communication researcher at Deakin University, Australia, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

American Fritz, whose only previous victory against the Spaniard came during Team World's triumph in last year's competition, kept errors to a minimum.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

Red raspberries appeared in the wilderness beyond where Fritz had plowed for Daddy’s vegetable garden.

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen

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