fried

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. jargon 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)