ritz

[rits] /rɪts/
noun
1.
ostentatious or pretentious display.
verb (used with object)
2.
Slang. to treat with condescension; snub:
The star ritzed the reporters and got a bad press.
Idioms
3.
put on the ritz, Informal. to live in elegance and luxury, especially to make an ostentatious show of one's wealth:
They put on the ritz to impress their guests.
Also, put on the Ritz.
Origin
1925-30; after the sumptuous hotels founded by César Ritz (died 1918), Swiss entrepreneur
British Dictionary definitions for put on the ritz

ritz

/rɪts/
noun
1.
put on the ritz, to assume a superior air or make an ostentatious display
Word Origin
from the luxury hotels created by the Swiss hotelier César Ritz (1850–1918)
Word Origin and History for put on the ritz

Ritz

n.

"high quality, superiority," 1910 (Ritzian, adj., is attested by 1908), in reference to the luxurious Ritz hotels in New York, London, Paris, etc., commemorating Swiss hotelier César Ritz (1850-1918). To put on the ritz "assume an air of superiority" is recorded from 1926. A verb ritz "to behave haughtily" is recorded from 1911.

Slang definitions & phrases for put on the ritz

put on the ritz

verb phrase
  1. To make a display of wealth and luxury: everything they could to put on the ritz/ put on the dog and give him the ritz like this
  2. To dress stylishly and flashily
  3. put on airs

[entry form 1926+, variant 1934+; fr the name of the Swiss Ce´sar Ritz and the various luxurious European hotels he built; put on the dog fr a late 1800s college, esp Yale, expression]