Conk

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kɒŋk/

Definitions

1. The head or skull of a person or animal ; to strike someone on the head ; to fail or cease operating, especially suddenly
2. Refers to the top part of the body containing the brain ; delivers a heavy blow to the crown or skull area ; to break down or stop working, often used for machines
3. Denotes the skull as a body part ; to give a sharp or forceful hit to the head ; to abruptly stop functioning, typically about devices or engines

Etymology: Before it meant a hit to the head, "conk" was a slang word for the head itself, likely a figurative use of "conch," the spiral seashell. The verb is attested from the early twentieth century, and its exact route from the noun is not documented, so the link to the shell is a suggestion rather than a proven chain. Separately, "conk" also named a hair-straightening treatment, named after Congolene, a brand of hair-straightening product. The source points to a 1956 description of the singer Nat King Cole with his hair conked, which shows the term was in everyday use in that sense by then. Whether the head sense and the hair sense share a root is not settled. The verb's origin is unknown, and the two senses may simply have arisen independently.

Synonyms: hit, strike