conk out, go bad, break down, die, fail, give out, give way, break, go - stop operating or functioning; "The engine finally went"; "The car died on the road"; "The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town"; "The coffee maker broke"; "The engine failed on the way to town"; "her eyesight went after the accident"

douse, put out - put out, as of a candle or a light; "Douse the lights"

black out - obliterate or extinguish; "Some life-forms were obliterated by the radiation, others survived"

catch fire, take fire, ignite, combust, conflagrate, erupt - start to burn or burst into flames; "Marsh gases ignited suddenly"; "The oily rags combusted spontaneously"