conk

1
[ kongk, kawngk ]
See synonyms for: conkconked on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to hit or strike on the head.

noun
  1. a blow on the head.

  2. the head.

  1. British. the nose.

Origin of conk

1
First recorded in 1805–15; of obscure origin

Other definitions for conk (2 of 4)

conk2
[ 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).

  1. to go to sleep (usually followed by off or out).

  2. to lose consciousness; faint (usually followed by out).

  3. to die (usually followed by out).

Origin of conk

2
First recorded in 1915–20; perhaps imitative of the sound

Other definitions for conk (3 of 4)

conk3
[ kongk, kawngk ]

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

Origin of conk

3
An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; of obscure origin

Other words from conk

  • conky, adjective

Other definitions for conk (4 of 4)

conk4
[ 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.

Origin of conk

4
First recorded in 1940–45; probably shortening and alteration of congolene, alleged to be the name of a hair straightener made from Congo copal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use conk in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for conk

conk

/ (kɒŋk) slang /


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

Origin of conk

1
C19: probably changed from conch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012