CONK

Conk

The conk was a hairstyle popular among African-American men from the 1920s to the 1960s. This hairstyle called for a man with naturally "kinky" hair to have it chemically straightened using a relaxer, so that the newly straightened hair could be styled in specific ways. Often, the relaxer was made at home, by mixing lye, eggs, and potatoes, the applier having to wear gloves and the receiver's head having to be rinsed thoroughly after application to avoid chemical burns. Conks were often styled as large pompadours although other men chose to simply slick their straightened hair back, allowing it to lie flat on their heads. Regardless of the styling, conks ...

The above text is a snippet from Wikipedia: Conk
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

conk

Noun

  1. The shelf- or bracket-shaped fruiting body of a Bracket fungus (A.K.A. Shelf fungus), i.e., a mushroom growing off a tree trunk.
  2. A nose, especially a large one.

Verb

  1. To hit, especially on the head.
  2. To chemically straighten tightly curled hair.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: conk
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

Need help with a clue?
Try your search in the crossword dictionary!