knell — the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral
Pronunciation (IPA): /nel/
Example Sentences
- The smartphone's death knell was the sound of it hitting the concrete floor.
- My diet's death knell rings every time I pass by a pizza shop.
- The church bells knelled mournfully as the villagers gathered.
knell
NOUN[/nel/]
the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral
The church knell rang slowly as the village gathered for the funeral.
The knell of the bell has a story to tell.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'cnyll', related to the verb 'cnyllan' meaning 'to strike or sound'. The word is likely of imitative origin, representing the sound of a bell.
Breakdown
knell (Old English 'cnyll') - a single morpheme with no productive modern breakdown, though historically it may derive from an imitative root representing bell sounds
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The smartphone's death knell was the sound of it hitting the concrete floor.”
“My diet's death knell rings every time I pass by a pizza shop.”
“The church bells knelled mournfully as the villagers gathered.”
“For many bookstores, e-books sounded the death knell.”
📚Related Words
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