conk

¹

[kongk, kawngk]

verb (used with object)

1. to hit or strike on the head.

noun

1. a blow on the head.

2. the head.

3. British.,  the nose.

conk

²

[kongk, kawngk]

verb (used without object)

Slang.

1. to break or fail, as a machine or engine (often followed byout ).

   The engine conked out halfway there.

2. to slow down or stop; lose energy (often followed byout ).

3. to go to sleep (usually followed by off orout ).

4. to lose consciousness; faint (usually followed byout ).

5. to die (usually followed byout ).

conk

³

[kongk, kawngk]

noun

Mycology.

1. the shelflike fruiting body of certain wood-decaying fungi; bracket fungus

conk

⁴

[kongk, kawngk]

noun

1. a method of chemically straightening the hair.

2. a hairstyle in which the hair has been chemically straightened and sometimes set into waves.

verb (used with object)

1. to straighten (kinky hair) by the use of chemicals.

   to have one's hair conked.

conk

/ kɒŋk /

verb

1. to strike (someone) a blow, esp on the head or nose

noun

1. a punch or blow, esp on the head or nose

2. the head or (esp Brit and NZ) the nose

Other Word Forms

• conky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conk¹

First recorded in 1805–15; of obscure origin

Origin of conk²

First recorded in 1915–20; perhaps imitative of the sound

Origin of conk³

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; of obscure origin

Origin of conk⁴

First recorded in 1940–45; probably shortening and alteration of congolene, alleged to be the name of a hair straightener made from Congo copal

Word History and Origins

Origin of conk¹

C19: probably changed from _conch

Example Sentences

"Having to go out in the dark every time the generator conked out."

Read more on BBC

The food van that conked out at Del Rosario’s house was from Revolution Foods, one of the vendors in the city’s delivery program.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But my pacemaker battery was running low, and what if it conked out in the middle of an extraction?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A loud conk shut Robert up, as Jack’s grandfather smacked him with the food tray, but it was already too late.

Read more on Literature

I had to replace an air conditioner motor that just couldn’t keep up and conked out.

Read more on Scientific American