- (the) death knell
- the reason why something fails and ends.
Computer-operated machinery has been seen as the death knell for traditional skills.
(often + for)
New idioms dictionary. 2014.
(the) death knell
Look at other dictionaries:
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
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 — 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 — A death knell is the ringing of a bell to announce a death. This is also called tolling the bell. The ancient custom of ringing a church bell at the actual time of death (The Passing Bell, or rather the Death Knell) fell into disuse in England by … Wikipedia
death knell — also death knell N SING: usu the N for/of n If you say that something sounds the death knell for a particular person or thing, you mean it will cause that person or thing to fail, end, or cease to exist. The tax increase sounded the death knell… … English dictionary
death knell — {n.}, {formal} 1. The ringing of a bell at a death or funeral. * /The people mourned at the death knell of their friend./ 2. {literary} Something which shows a future failure. * /Bill s poor grade on his final examination sounded the death knell… … Dictionary of American idioms
death knell — {n.}, {formal} 1. The ringing of a bell at a death or funeral. * /The people mourned at the death knell of their friend./ 2. {literary} Something which shows a future failure. * /Bill s poor grade on his final examination sounded the death knell… … Dictionary of American idioms
