knell

[ nel ]

noun

1. the sound made by a bell rung slowly, especially for a death or a funeral.
2. a sound or sign announcing the death of a person or the end, extinction, failure, etc., of something:

   the knell of parting day.

3. any mournful sound.

verb (used without object)

1. to sound, as a bell, especially a funeral bell.
2. to give forth a mournful, ominous, or warning sound.

verb (used with object)

1. to proclaim or summon by, or as if by, a bell.

knell

/ nɛl /

noun

1. the sound of a bell rung to announce a death or a funeral
2. something that precipitates or indicates death or destruction

verb

1. intr to ring a knell
2. tr to proclaim or announce by or as if by a tolling bell

Other Words From

• un·knelled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of knell¹

before 950; (noun) Middle English knel, Old English cynll; (v.) Middle English knellen, knyllen, Old English cynllan; cognate with Old Norse knylla to beat, strike; akin to Dutch knal bang, knallen to bang, German Knall explosion, knallen to explode

Word History and Origins

Origin of knell¹

Old English cnyll; related to Middle High German knüllen to strike, Dutch knallen to bang

Idioms and Phrases

see death knell .

Example Sentences

The government wanted to reduce labor and costs, but many growers view the law as a quality death knell.

From The Daily Beast

Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sounded what many considered to be the death knell for the SNC.

From The Daily Beast

They wanted to sound the death knell for the campaign, file their stories, and get out of Memphis as soon as possible.

From The Daily Beast

When you have somebody working for your campaign, like Grooms, who says you can't win, that is the death knell for a candidate.

From The Daily Beast

I now consider it the death knell for traditional publishing.

From The Daily Beast

A knell from the church bell broke harshly on these youthful thoughts.

From Project Gutenberg

The tones of the neighbouring convent bell, echoing through the stony vaults, sounded loud and awful as the knell of doom.

From Project Gutenberg

It is not so now, for when the blacks revolted and drove their masters from the land, the death-knell of civilisation was sounded.

From Project Gutenberg

When for mirth's yell earth's knell seemed pleaseSome dumb new grim great whim in him Made Jews take chalk for cheese.

From Project Gutenberg

This date this pupil translates by the phrase, “Dock knell all” .

From Project Gutenberg