conkers

/ ˈkɒŋkəz /

noun

1. (functioning as singular) a game in which a player swings a horse chestnut (conker), threaded onto a string, against that of another player to try to break it

Word History and Origins

Origin of conkers¹

C19: from dialect conker snail shell, originally used in the game

Example Sentences

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.

From BBC

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

From BBC

The event saw participants go head-to-head using conkers threaded on to string to try and smash their opponent's nut.

From BBC

Recent storms had blown hundreds of conkers out of the trees, raising concerns that they might rot before the big day.

From BBC

A mature horse chestnut, it is festooned with glorious blooms every spring, and after a few weeks sheds hundreds of partially grown, supernumerary conkers, encased in spiky green coverings.

From Seattle Times