conk out

phr.v. to stop working suddenly, usually because of a mechanical or electrical problem.

phr.v. to cease functioning or break down abruptly. The verb is intransitive and typically refers to engines, appliances, or electronic devices.

“My old laptop finally conked out right in the middle of my presentation.”

“The generator conked out during the storm, leaving the entire research facility without power for nearly six hours.”

Informal

phr.v. to fall asleep very quickly, especially when you are extremely tired.

phr.v. to fall fast asleep or lose consciousness suddenly due to physical exhaustion.

“As soon as his head hit the pillow, he conked out for ten hours.”

“After hiking twenty miles through the mountains, the entire group conked out before the sun had even set.”

Informal

phr.v. a very informal and sometimes disrespectful way to say someone has died.

phr.v. to expire or pass away. This sense is highly informal and carries a blunt, sometimes irreverent tone that may be inappropriate in sensitive contexts.

“The old cat finally conked out at the age of eighteen.”

“He joked that he wanted to conk out while doing something he loved rather than in a hospital bed.”

Informal · Slang