She came skipping to me just now, clapping her little hands and bleating about how very, very happy she was, dear Mrs Travers. The silly young geezer. I nearly conked her one with my trowel. I'd always thought her half-baked, but now I think they didn't even put her in the oven.1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XVII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
Etymology From congolene, the brand name of a hair-straightening product.
1
US, Dated A hairstyle involving the chemical straightening and styling of kinky hair.
conk
verb
Etymology From congolene, the brand name of a hair-straightening product.
1
US, Dated To chemically straighten tightly curled hair.
The barbecue cook, wearing a dirty white apron, his conked hair reddish and metallic in the pale sun, and a cigarette between his lips, stood in the doorway, watching them.1957, James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues”, in Going to Meet the Man, Dial, published 1965:
conk
verb
Etymology Unknown. Attested since the early twentieth century.
1
Colloquial, Often, With out To fail or show signs of failing, cease operating, break down.
Therefore, have two or more engines, so that there is still some power left if one engine conks.1921, Australian Aero Clubs, Sea, Land and Air, volume 3, page 310:
I watch television when it's playing, but it done conked out. Everything is conked out.1983, Walli Leff, Marilyn Haft, Time without Work, page 93:
2
Colloquial, Often, With out To become unconscious.