conk

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈkäŋk 

ˈkȯŋk

chiefly British slang

: nose

conk

2 of 6

verb (1)

conked; conking; conks

transitive verb

: to hit especially on the head : knock out

conk

3 of 6

noun (2)

: the visible fruiting body of a bracket fungus

also : decay caused by such a fungus

conky

ˈkäŋ-kē 

ˈkȯŋ-

adjective

conk

4 of 6

verb (2)

conked; conking; conks

intransitive verb

1

: break down

especially : stall

—usually used with out

the motor suddenly conked out

2

a

: faint

b

: to go to sleep

—usually used with off or out

conked out for a while after lunch

c

: die

I caught pneumonia. I almost conked

—Truman Capote

conk

5 of 6

verb (3)

conked; conking; conks

transitive verb

: to straighten out (hair) usually by the use of chemicals

conk

6 of 6

noun (3)

: a hairstyle in which the hair is straightened out and flattened down or lightly waved

called also process

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• beak
• honker [slang]
• neb
• nose
• nozzle [slang]
• proboscis
• schnoz [slang]
• schnozz
• schnozzle [slang]
• smeller
• snoot
• snout

Verb (2)

• black out
• faint
• keel (over)
• pass out
• swoon

Examples of conk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Everybody had a new car and a conk. —New York Times, 27 Oct. 2021

The spectral and the barely discernible devotions become manifest as Holy Ghost, though also borne in Malcolm X’s stance and the Godfather of Soul’s conk. —Saidiya Hartman, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2023

This is a fungal conk, probably from the genus Ganoderma, although that’s not my field of expertise. —Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, 8 Oct. 2020

Verb

According to rumors, a blazing row on the terrace of their hotel – the San Domenico Palace – ended when Taylor conked Burton on the head with a mandolin. —John Bleasdale, Variety, 18 June 2023

The engine might conk out. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2021

His team had sputtered and whirred to life only to conk out in spectacular fashion. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2021

While some little ones conk out as soon as the engine starts, others have a difficult time being in the car for hours—or any time at all. —Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 26 Oct. 2020

Why would a woman who has only a stun gun for protection get involved with large amounts of cash and shady strangers, any of whom could simply conk her on the head and rob her? —Kyle Smith, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022

And Venetia, Lady Digby, on Her Deathbed, by Van Dyck, is about to conk off. —Brian T. Allen, National Review, 5 Feb. 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps from conch

Verb (1)

English slang conk head

Noun (2)

probably alteration of conch

Verb (2)

probably imitative

Verb (3)

probably by shortening & alteration from congolene preparation used for straightening hair

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1812, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1821, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1851, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (3)

1943, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1965, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing conk

• conk out

• conk out

Kids Definition

conk

verb

ˈkäŋk,

ˈkȯŋk

1

: break down sense 1

the motor suddenly conked out

2

: to go to sleep

conked out after lunch