conk out

verb

1. (of machines, cars, etc) to fail suddenly
2. to tire suddenly or collapse, as from exhaustion

Word History and Origins

Origin of conk out¹

C20: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

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.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Scientific American

It wasn’t until a week later that Shute realized how seriously her cognitive function had declined after her AC conked out.

From Los Angeles Times

Desolate streets and mobile phones that conk out from the heat: what life has been like in Cagliari, a popular Italian vacation spot, recently.

From New York Times

Related Words

• break
• cave in
• crumple
• disintegrate
• drop
• fail
• faint
• fall down
• founder
• give way
• shatter
• topple
• weaken