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 by out ):

   The engine conked out halfway there.

2. to slow down or stop; lose energy (often followed by out ).
3. to go to sleep (usually followed by off or out ).
4. to lose consciousness; faint (usually followed by out ).
5. to die (usually followed by out ).

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 Words From

• conky 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

Praying for sleep, perhaps, but the right to conk out near the table?

From The Daily Beast

"I got the fog out of my conk to-day, Fanny," he said exultantly.

From Project Gutenberg

Just you take her over with you now, and I'll see Conk, and pay my bill, and come over as soon as I can with our luggage.

From Project Gutenberg

Then you come along and just about split the chump's conk just so's he'll stay out of your light, see?

From Project Gutenberg

There is a cancerous disease peculiar to the Pine-tree, to which lumbermen give the original name of "Conk" or "Konkus."

From Project Gutenberg

A carefully kept nuclear-battery motor didn't conk; the vehicle could almost fly without guidance.

From Project Gutenberg