death bell

• Veralteter Ausdruck für eine Glocke, die den Tod einer Person verkündet, oder im übertragenen Sinn ein Zeichen oder Vorzeichen dafür, dass etwas dem Untergang geweiht ist oder dem Ende entgegengeht.

An old-fashioned expression referring to a bell rung to announce someone's death, or figuratively, a sign or omen that something is doomed or coming to an end.

1. Omen of deathC1formal

   A sign or event that is believed to foretell someone's death.

   Vorbote des Todes

   • The old legend says that hearing a death bell at midnight is a bad omen.
   • In some cultures, a sudden silence in nature is considered a death bell.
   • The strange sound was interpreted as a death bell by the superstitious villagers.

2. End of somethingC1informal

   A signal or event that marks the end or failure of something.

   Ende von etwas

   • The company's bankruptcy was the death bell for the entire project.
   • The scandal sounded the death bell for his political career.
   • The new technology tolled the death bell for the old manufacturing process.