A death knell is the ringing of a church bell immediately after a death to announce it. Historically it was the second of three bells rung around death, the first being the passing bell to warn of impending death, and the last was the lych bell or corpse bell, which survives today as the funeral toll.

What does the expression death knell mean?

1 : passing bell. 2 : an action or event presaging death or destruction the coming of the power press was the death knell of the hand press.

How do you use death knell in a sentence?

1 The loss of Georgia would sound the death knell of Republican hopes. 2 The revolution tolled the death knell for the Russian monarchy. 3 The arrival of large supermarkets sounded the death knell of many small local shops. 4 The tax increase sounded the death knell for the business.