- to break or fail, as a machine or engine (often followed by out): The engine conked out halfway there.
- to slow down or stop; lose energy (often followed by out).
- to go to sleep (usually followed by off or out).
- to lose consciousness; faint (usually followed by out).
- to die (usually followed by out).
Origin of conk2
- to strike (someone) a blow, esp on the head or nose
- a punch or blow, esp on the head or nose
- the head or (esp Brit and NZ) the nose
Word Origin for conk
as in conk out, 1918, coined by World War I airmen, perhaps in imitation of the sound of a stalling motor, reinforced by conk (v.) "hit on the head," originally "punch in the nose" (1821), from conk (n.), slang for "nose" (1812), perhaps from fancied resemblance to a conch (pronounced "conk") shell.