sound the death knell for

sound the death knell for
sound the death knell for (something) to cause something to end.

Everyone likes e-mail, but it hasn't sounded the death knell for snail mail quite yet.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of sound the death knell (= to ring a church bell slowly to announce a person's death)

New idioms dictionary. 2014.

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  • sound the death knell for something — sound the death knell for (something) to cause something to end. Everyone likes e mail, but it hasn t sounded the death knell for snail mail quite yet. Etymology: based on the literal meaning of sound the death knell (= to ring a church bell… …   New idioms dictionary

  • sound the death knell — sound/toll the death knell to cause an organization, system, or activity to fail or end. The new superstore will sound the death knell for hundreds of small independent shops. (often + for) The closure of the local car factory tolled the death… …   New idioms dictionary

  • toll the death knell — sound/toll the death knell to cause an organization, system, or activity to fail or end. The new superstore will sound the death knell for hundreds of small independent shops. (often + for) The closure of the local car factory tolled the death… …   New idioms dictionary

  • death knell — noun 1. an omen of death or destruction • Hypernyms: ↑omen, ↑portent, ↑presage, ↑prognostic, ↑prognostication, ↑prodigy 2. a bell rung to announce a death • Syn: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • death knell — n [singular] a sign that something will soon fail or stop existing →↑death blow (sound/strike/toll) the death knell for/of sth ▪ The loss of Georgia would sound the death knell of Republican hopes …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • death knell — noun (singular) sound the death knell to be a sign that something will soon stop existing or stop being used: Plans to build a bridge across the river sounded the death knell for the ferry …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • death knell — UK / US noun [singular] an event or situation that is a sign of the end of something sound the death knell of/for something: The arrival of supermarkets sounded the death knell of small shops …   English dictionary

  • death knell — Knell Knell, n. [OE. knel, cnul, AS. cnyll, fr. cnyllan to sound a bell; cf. D. & G. knallen to clap, crack, G. & Sw. knall a clap, crack, loud sound, Dan. knalde to clap, crack. Cf. {Knoll}, n. & v.] The stroke of a bell tolled at a funeral or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sound — I [[t]sa͟ʊnd[/t]] NOUN AND VERB USES ♦ sounds, sounding, sounded (Please look at category 12 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.) 1) N COUNT A sound is something that you hear. Peter heard the sound of… …   English dictionary

  • knell — I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cnyllan; akin to Middle High German erknellen to toll Date: before 12th century transitive verb to summon or announce by or as if by a knell intransitive verb 1. to ring especially for a death,… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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