verb
conk
kongk
verb
1
To hit someone, especially on the head.
"He conked his brother on the head with a rolled-up newspaper."
"She stood up too fast and conked her head on the shelf."
2
To stop working or fail suddenly, especially a machine or engine.
"The old washing machine finally conked out after fifteen years."
"My laptop conked out halfway through the presentation."
noun
1
A hairstyle in which tightly curled hair is chemically straightened.
"Malcolm X famously described getting his first conk as a young man."
How to Use Conk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishInformally, to hit someone (usually on the head), or for a machine to break down — "conk out" is the common phrase for the second meaning.
Common pairings
conk out
conk someone on the head
Word Forms
conked past tense, conked past tense, conked past tense, conks plural, conks singular, conks singular, conks singular
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He _____ his brother on the head with a rolled-up newspaper.
Etymology
A 19th-century variant of "conch," the word for a large spiral seashell, used figuratively for the nose or head.