knell
[ nel ]
/ nɛl /
noun
the sound made by a bell rung slowly, especially for a death or a funeral.
a sound or sign announcing the death of a person or the end, extinction, failure, etc., of something: the knell of parting day.
any mournful sound.
verb (used without object)
to sound, as a bell, especially a funeral bell.
to give forth a mournful, ominous, or warning sound.
verb (used with object)
to proclaim or summon by, or as if by, a bell.
Origin of knell
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
OTHER WORDS FROM knell
un·knelled, adjectiveWords nearby knell
Example sentences from the Web for knell
British Dictionary definitions for knell
knell
/ (nɛl) /
noun
the sound of a bell rung to announce a death or a funeral
something that precipitates or indicates death or destruction
verb
(intr)
to ring a knell
(tr)
to proclaim or announce by or as if by a tolling bell
Word Origin for knell
Old English
cnyll; related to Middle High German
knüllen to strike, Dutch
knallen to bang
Idioms and Phrases with knell
knell
see death knell.