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malfunction periodically
[mal-FUNK-shun PEER-ee-od-i-kuh-lee]
verb phrase
funcionar mal periodicamente
1.
to fail to work properly at regular or irregular intervals; to experience repeated breakdowns or failures
The printer tends to malfunction periodically, especially on Mondays.
A impressora tende a funcionar mal periodicamente, especialmente às segundas-feiras.
2.
to operate improperly with interruptions over a period of time
The air conditioning unit malfunctions periodically during summer.
A unidade de ar condicionado funciona mal periodicamente durante o verão.
NYC Slang
act up on and off
Synonyms
fail intermittently
break down repeatedly
act up periodically
function irregularly
experience intermittent failures
Antonyms
function properly
operate smoothly
work consistently
run reliably
Regional Variations
General Brazilian
funcionar mal periodicamente
most common usage
Rio de Janeiro
dar problema de vez em quando
colloquial variant
São Paulo
parar de funcionar de tempos em tempos
alternative phrasing
Portugal
avariar periodicamente
uses 'avariar' instead of 'funcionar mal'
Related Idioms & Phrases
on the fritz
out of commission
on the blink
having issues
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