Knell

/nɛl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The sound of a bell rung slowly, often for a death or funeral.

The knell of the church bell signaled the beginning of the funeral service.

A sign or warning of the end or death of something.

The sudden closure of the factory was seen as the knell for local employment.

verb

To ring a bell slowly, especially to announce a death or a funeral.

They knelled the bell in somber remembrance of those who had passed.

To announce or signal the end of something.

The report knelled the era of traditional retail.

From Old English cniellan 'to ring a bell,' related to the similar Middle Dutch knellen.

knell of doom

A forewarning of a terrible event or end.

last knell

Final notification of something that is ending.

toll

The sound of a bell rung slowly, especially at funerals.

mourning

The expression of sorrow for someone's death.

A metaphor for inevitable failure or demise.

That failed project was the knell for our hopes to expand this year.

A signal or indication of a negative outcome.

The lack of sales was the knell for the business, indicating it was time to close.