gonk

English

Gonks from an Australian fairground in the late 1970s (sense 1)

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɡɒŋk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɡɑŋk/
• (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ɡɔŋk/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒŋk

Noun

gonk (plural gonks)

2. A small fuzzy toy, popularized during wartime.
4. A stupid, ignorant, or boorish person.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:idiot, Thesaurus:dork

6. (New Zealand, military, slang) A sleep; a nap.

   I'm going off to have a gonk.

8. (UK, crime, slang) A prostitute's client.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:prostitute's client

References

• Eric Partridge (2007) “gonk”, in Tom Dalzell and Terry Victor, editors, The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, Abingdon, Oxon., New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 297.

Verb

gonk (third-person singular simple present gonks, present participle gonking, simple past and past participle gonked)

2. (US, slang) To lie; to tell an untruth

   You're gonking me!

Related terms

• gonk out

References

• Eric Partridge (2013) “gonk”, in Tom Dalzell and Terry Victor, editors, The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, 2nd edition, volumes I–II, Abingdon, Oxon., New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 1017.

Anagrams

• Kong, kong