death bell
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A bell rung to announce a death: A bell, often a church bell, tolled slowly and solemnly to signal that someone has died or to mark a funeral.
Usage
The term "death bell" is used to describe the specific sound or act of ringing a bell for a death. It is a formal and somewhat archaic term, often associated with historical or solemn contexts. - It functions as a countable noun. - It is typically used with articles like the, a, or an.
Examples
- The slow, mournful tolling of the death bell echoed across the silent village.
- In many old traditions, the sexton would ring a death bell to inform the community of a passing.
- We could hear the death bell from the church, a somber sound that filled us with grief.
Advanced Usage
- "To toll like a death bell": This phrase is used metaphorically to describe a sound or event that seems to signal an end or a disaster.
- The final alarm tolled like a death bell for the failing company.
Variants and Related Words
- Death knell (noun): This is a more common synonym. While it can literally mean a bell rung for a death, it is more frequently used metaphorically to mean an event that signals the end of something.
- Literal: The death knell sounded at noon.
- Metaphorical: The new law was the death knell for small businesses.
Synonyms
- Funeral bell: A bell tolled during a funeral procession or service.
- Passing bell: An older, synonymous term for a bell rung to announce a death.
Related Idioms
- "To sound/toll the death knell": To cause or signal the end of something.
- The invention of the smartphone sounded the death knell for many traditional cameras.
Noun
- a bell rung to announce a death