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"On the Fritz", Origin?

Posted by Bruce Kahl on April 03, 2002

In Reply to: "On the Fritz", Origin? posted by Word Camel on April 03, 2002

: My coffee maker is "on the Fritz". It takes 30 minutes to fill the flask. But enough of my misfortunes, there is still the discussion forum.

: I looked up "fritz" on the American Heritage dictionary which defined it as "A condition in which something does not work properly: Our television is on the fritz". It speculated that it may be from Frederich.

See link below.

: Does anyone know the origin of this? Is it some sort to anti-German slur from the war? I'm just curious and having to wait a long time for my coffee.

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