Dictionary

conk out en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

Possibly an onomatopoeic imitation of the sound of a stalling internal combustion engine. Possibly coined by British motorcyclists circa 1910.

Meanings

1. (informal, intransitive) To fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly.
   • He wasn't there, just the dog, conked out on the porch.
   • “We're in the middle of the goddamn ocean!” “Yes we are.” [Laughing] “Well, what are we gonna do?” “Well, we're gonna conk out for a while... and let the current gently roll us back to shore.” “Frank, the current is what brought us out here in the first place. If anything, we should be paddling against it to get back to the beach.” “I'm gonna pretend like I didn't hear that.” 2011 September 22, Dave Chernin & John Chernin, “The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore” (8:10 from the start), in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, season 7, episode 2, spoken by Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito):
2. (informal, intransitive) To stop functioning.
   • The old car conked out halfway up the hill.
   • So, if you want to race your dog, plan a 25-kilometer race on a hot summer day. He'll conk out. 2016, Joseph Henrich, chapter 5, in The Secret of Our Success […] , Princeton: Princeton University Press, →ISBN:
3. (informal, intransitive) To die.
   • JOHN LE MESURIER Wishes it to be known that he conked out on November 15th. He sadly misses family and friends. 1983, John Le Mesurier, self-penned death notice in The Times (16 November)
   • He lived to be 90, then conked out in his sleep.

Forms

Synonyms

zonk out

Translations (20)

de den Löffel abgeben (to die) · es caer muerto (to fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly) · de ins Gras beißen (to die) · de ausfallen (to stop functioning) · de abtreten (to die) · de streiken (to stop functioning) · de wegtreten (to fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly) · es petar (to stop functioning) · de einnicken (to fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly) · de den Geist aufgeben (to stop functioning) · pl kitować (to die) · pl nawalać (to stop functioning) · pl wykitować (to die) · es morir (to stop functioning) · fr tomber en panne (to stop functioning) · pl kimnąć się (to fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly) · pl nawalić (to stop functioning) · de einpennen (to fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly) · de abkratzen (to die) · pt pifar (to stop functioning)