death bell

• Устаревшее выражение, обозначающее колокол, звонящий для объявления чьей-то смерти, или, в переносном смысле, знак или предзнаменование того, что что-то обречено или подходит к концу.

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.

   Предвестник смерти

   • 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.

   Конец чего-либо

   • 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.