1. < hardware > Non-working due to hardware failure; burnt out. Especially used of hardware brought down by a "power glitch" (see glitch ), drop-outs , a short, or some other electrical event. (Sometimes this literally happens to electronic circuits! In particular, resistors can burn out and transformers can melt down, emitting noxious smoke - see friode , SED and LER . However, this term is also used metaphorically.) Compare frotzed .
2. Of people, exhausted. Said particularly of those who continue to work in such a state. Often used as an explanation or excuse. "Yeah, I know that fix destroyed the file system, but I was fried when I put it in." Especially common in conjunction with "brain": "My brain is fried today, I'm very short on sleep."
[ Jargon File ]
(1996-04-28)