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 knell of the town.
(sometimes + of)New idioms dictionary. 2014.
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 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… … 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 — 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 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. to sound the death knell * * * [ deθ nel] to sound the death knell … Combinatory dictionary
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 — noun a) The tolling of a bell announcing death. The sound was the stroke of a bell from the tower of East Endelstow Church. . . . The death knell of an inhabitant of the eastern parish was being tolled. b) A sign or omen foretelling the death or… … Wiktionary
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
