What it means
To die, to drop dead, to kick the bucket with proper Aussie flair. Works for people, animals, batteries, old utes, anything that stops working for good. The word probably comes from the noise a crow makes before it hits the deck. Very blunt and casual, which tracks because no one does death humour quite like an Aussie at a barbie.
Usage examples
"Poor old Jonno's ute finally carked it on the highway last arvo, he had to walk back to the servo in thongs, absolute shocker"
"The fridge finally carked it in the middle of summer, of course, with a full week of barbecues coming up."
"Old Bluey the cattle dog carked it at sixteen, a grand age, and the whole farm felt a bit quieter after."
Where it comes from
Broad Australian for dying, or for a machine conking out for good. Most likely from carcass, with a nod to the croak of a dying crow, cark cark. When the old ute finally carks it, or sadly when a person does, that is the end of the road.
Other ways to say it
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