conker

[kong-ker, kawng-]

noun

British Informal.

1. a horse chestnut.

2. the hollowed-out shell of a horse chestnut.

3. conkers, a game in which a child swings a horse chestnut on a string in an attempt to break that of another player.

conker

/ ˈkɒŋkə /

noun

1. an informal name for horse chestnut

Word History and Origins

Origin of conker¹

1840–50; probably originally conquer; compare conquering a game played with snail shells (the name of the game presumably later transferred to the playing pieces)

Example Sentences

There had been fears the event would be cancelled for only the third time in its history due to the hot, dry summer, which caused conkers to fall from trees early.

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Organiser Charles Whalley feared the lack of conkers could have cancelled the event, but he was now confident it would take place after receiving "emails from around the country" from people offering to supply them.

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"Billy Connolly has worked his conkers off to make it look like he's just thought something up," he says.

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His victory was plunged into controversy and he was surprised to find himself at the centre of national headlines when the Telegraph reported claims he cheated by swapping his real conker for a metal one.

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A Telegraph story included claims that the 82-year-old had cheated by swapping his real conker for a metal one and was also a head judge for the tournament.

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