In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
Origins are unknown, but definitely predate the use of metal flashlights, contrary to the most quoted description of origin.
It is probable that the origin relates to Chinese immigration, as the first law to restrict immigration from a particular country was enacted in 1882 to limit the numbers of Chinese coming to the United States. It is said that many of the illegal immigrants made their way to the US via the Gulf of Tonkin area of what is now Vietnam. It is also possible that the term is related to the Chinese "tong" mob.
tonk (plural tonks)
(slang, mostly, US) An illegal immigrant of any country.
tonk (plural tonks)
(slang) An item of value, or of perceived value, especially for sale.
tonk (uncountable)
A matching card game, combining features of knock rummy and conquian.
Onomatopoeic.
tonk (uncountable)
(slang) A tank.
tonk (third-person singular simple present tonks, present participle tonking, simple past and past participle tonked)
(colloquial, transitive) To knock or strike (a ball) so that it flies through the air.
• Tkon, knot
Tonk (plural Tonks)
A Tonkinese cat.
• Tkon, knot
Source: Wiktionary
24 January 2025
(noun) a state of agitation or turbulent change or development; “the political ferment produced new leadership”; “social unrest”
In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.