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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

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

Then I tried to turn it on, but the remote was still on the fritz.

From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds

The big-hitting 29-year-old, now free from his tag as arguably the best men's player never to win a Grand Slam, produced a dominant display to defeat American Taylor Fritz and reach his first Wimbledon semi-final.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

In a Bicentennial print, the Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder portrays a Native American man clad in an inverted American flag.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Fritz Miot and Laila Doe are two foreign nationals who have lived in the United States for decades thanks to the TPS program.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026

To investigate this, researchers from the Department of Molecular Physics at the Fritz Haber Institute, along with collaborators from Leipzig and the United States, focused on a key molecular structure involved in this process.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 7, 2026

“If I’d been alone, I’d have just talked to him. Fritz says he’s a queer old man but nice when you know him.”

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen