death knell









death knell


noun

  1. a harbinger of the end, death, or destruction of something.
  2. passing bell.

noun

  1. something that heralds death or destruction
  2. a bell rung to announce a death

Something that indicates impending failure, as in His low scores sounded the death knell for his ambitions. The noun knell, used for the ringing of a bell since at least a.d. 1000, is rarely heard today except in this figurative phrase.

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