on the blink

Idioms  

1. Also,. Malfunctioning, out of order, broken, as in The TV is on the blink again, or You drive—our car's on the bum. The first of these slangy expressions dates from the late 1800s and possibly alludes to an electric light that flickers on and off (“blinks”); the second, from the same period, possibly is derived from bum in the sense of “a contemptible person”; the third, fritz, dating from about 1900, is of unknown origin.

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Example Sentences

The city opened a handful of self-cleaning toilet kiosks, but they were often on the blink.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2017

The capacitor of one is on the blink, so it clicks on and off.

From The Guardian • Mar. 19, 2017

“My phone was on the blink and I looked around. I had all these different people trying to help. And this kid, this guy, this man-patriot, got it all fixed.”

From Washington Post • Jul. 21, 2016

If they discover problems such as a refrigerator on the blink or the gas shut off, they can refer families to others who will help.

From Washington Times • Feb. 21, 2016

She does yoga and hums like a heater on the blink.

From "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake