conk

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /kɑŋk/ UK /kɒŋk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to hit on the head, or (of a machine) to break down suddenly

The old engine conked out halfway up the mountain pass.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to hit on the head, or (of... hit strike clout bash whack bop stall

Word family

Derived forms conker

Etymology

Of uncertain origin; possibly an alteration of 'conch' or imitative of a blow. The 'break down' sense (often 'conk out') is early 20th-century slang, perhaps echoic of an engine sputtering to a halt.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# conk

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kɑŋk/
**IPA (UK):** /kɒŋk/

## Meanings
1. to hit on the head, or (of a machine) to break down suddenly

## Examples
- The old engine conked out halfway up the mountain pass.

## Synonyms
- hit
- strike
- clout
- bash
- whack
- bop
- stall

## Derived Forms
- conker

## Etymology
Of uncertain origin; possibly an alteration of 'conch' or imitative of a blow. The 'break down' sense (often 'conk out') is early 20th-century slang, perhaps echoic of an engine sputtering to a halt.

## AI Etymology
Conk is of uncertain origin; possibly an alteration of 'conch' or imitative of a blow. The 'break down' sense (often 'conk out') is early 20th-century slang, perhaps echoic of an engine sputtering to a halt. In present use as verb and noun, it means "to hit on the head, or (of a machine) to break down suddenly", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Its colloquial history matters: the word belongs to informal usage before settling into the present dictionary sense. Derived forms include conker.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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