ritz, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ritz n.

[the chain of hotels established by César Ritz (1850–1918), esp. the Ritz-Carlton in New York City]

1. glamour, elegance, wealth, sophistication; thus in the ritz, living well; this ain’t the Ritz, don’t expect anything special; ritz it, v., to live luxuriously.

1926		M. West Sex (1997) II ii: The gobs said you were ritzing it.
1938		S. Fisher ‘You’ll Alway Remember Me’ in Penzler Pulp Fiction (2007) 179: People think big private schools are the ritz.
1938		J. Weidman I Can Get It For You Wholesale 186: I can’t stand that kind of fake ritz.
1943		I. Wolfert Tucker’s People (1944) 192: ‘Miss Ritz putting the ritz on the fritz,’ thought Egan [...] Her cultured air, too, seemed uppity to him.

2. (N.Z. prison) constr. with the, a prison.

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 154/1: Ritz, The n. a prison.

In phrases

put on the ritz (v.) (also put the ritz on) [popularized by Irving Berlin’s song ‘Putting on the Ritz’ (1929)]

1. (orig. US) to make a display of wealth or luxury, to dress stylishly.

1920		A. Baer Convention Jazz 6 June [synd. col.] Gen. Wood is stepping around putting on the Ritz.
1929		I. Berlin ‘Putting on the Ritz’ 🎵 If you’re blue and you don’t know what to do / Why don’t you go where Harlem sits / Puttin’ on the Ritz.
1930		D. Ahearn How to Commit a Murder 107: As you know, them people love to put on the ritz.
1953		S. Bellow Augie March (1996) 94: She’s been riding Ma for years and put on the ritz at our expense.
1986		Stage (London) 4 Sept. 23/1: BBC Television ‘Putting on the Ritz’ by John Godber.
1991		Stage (London) 28 Mar. 9/1: [headline] Put On the Ritz.
2000		C. Cook Robbers (2001) 24: Felt like putting on the ritz, a swank beaner whimsy.

2. (US) to snub.

1939

W. Winchell On Broadway 4 Feb. [synd. col.] How come you put on the ritz with me and my friends that night? [...] they wanted to meet you.