Definition

Verb: 1. To stop functioning; to break down: Used to describe a machine, engine, or device that suddenly stops working. 2. To fall asleep from exhaustion; to collapse or stop from fatigue: Used informally to describe a person or animal that becomes extremely tired and stops an activity, often by falling asleep.

Examples

• For machines/engines:
  • The old car's engine conked out on the highway.
  • My laptop conked out right before I saved the document.
• For people/animals:
  • After the long hike, I just conked out on the sofa.
  • The puppy played all day and finally conked out in its bed.

Advanced Usage

• "to conk out on someone": To fail or stop working at a crucial or inconvenient moment for a person.
  • The power conked out on us right in the middle of the movie.

Variants and Related Words

• Conk (verb, informal): Can mean to hit on the head or, by extension, to fail or break. "Conk out" is a phrasal verb derived from this.
  • The system conked just as we started.

Synonyms

• Break down: To stop functioning (for machines).
• Fail: To stop working.
• Give out: To become used up or stop functioning.
• Poop out (informal): To become exhausted and stop.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Break down: A more formal and common synonym for when a machine stops working.
  • The elevator broke down between floors.
• Give out: Often used when something ceases to function due to being overused or exhausted.
  • The old bridge finally gave out under the weight.

Related Idioms

• To die: Used informally for machines stopping.
  • My phone died and I couldn't call for help.
• To go: Used informally, especially for parts of the body or mechanical/electrical functions.
  • The brakes went, so I couldn't stop the car.

Verb

1. use up all one's strength and energy and stop working
   • At the end of the march, I pooped out
2. stop operating or functioning
   • The engine finally went
   • The car died on the road
   • The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town
   • The coffee maker broke
   • The engine failed on the way to town
   • her eyesight went after the accident