1. [common] 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. [common] 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.” Esp.: common in conjunction with brain: “My brain is fried today, I'm very short on sleep.”