Hypertext Webster Gateway: "knell"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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 stoke of a bell tolled at a funeral or at the death of a
person; a death signal; a passing bell; hence, figuratively,
a warning of, or a sound indicating, the passing away of
anything.
The dead man's knell Is there scarce asked for who.
--Shak.
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day. --Gray.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Knell \Knell\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Knelled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Knelling}.] [OE. knellen, knillen, As. cnyllan. See {Knell},
n.]
To sound as a knell; especially, to toll at a death or
funeral; hence, to sound as a warning or evil omen.
Not worth a blessing nor a bell to knell for thee.
--Beau. & Fl.
Yet all that poets sing, and grief hath known, Of hopes
laid waste, knells in that word, ``alone''. --Ld.
Lytton.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Knell \Knell\, v. t.
To summon, as by a knell.
Each matin bell, the baron saith, Knells us back to a
world of death. --Coleridge.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
knell
n : the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death or a
funeral or the end of something
v 1: ring, as of bells announcing death
2: make (bells) ring, often for the purposes of musical
edification; "Ring the bells"; "My uncle rings every
Sunday at the local church" [syn: {ring}]
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