1
the knell of sth
该结构常用来指某事结束或灭亡的预兆，多用于书面语。
The closure of the factory was the knell of the town's prosperity.
工厂的关闭是这个小镇繁荣的终结之兆。
丧钟声；钟声
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
丧钟声；钟声
The sound of a bell rung slowly, especially to announce a death or funeral.
The closure of the factory was the knell of the town's prosperity.
工厂的关闭是这个小镇繁荣的终结之兆。
钟声；丧钟声(尤指宣告死亡的钟声)。
The sound of a bell knelling; a toll (particularly one signalling a death).
缓慢敲响的钟声,宣布死亡、葬礼或某事的结束
the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death or a funeral or the end of something
某事或某人结束或死亡的征兆。
A sign of the end or demise of something or someone.
The church bell's slow knell told the village of the old fisherman's death.
教堂缓慢的丧钟声告知村民老渔夫去世了。
In the distance, the knell of the funeral bell echoed across the valley.
远处，葬礼钟声的哀鸣回荡在山谷中。
The knell sounded at noon to mark the end of the mourning period.
正午响起的丧钟声标志着哀悼期的结束。
该结构常用来指某事结束或灭亡的预兆，多用于书面语。
The closure of the factory was the knell of the town's prosperity.
工厂的关闭是这个小镇繁荣的终结之兆。
sound the knell for/of sth 意为“宣告……的终结”，for 后接受影响的事物。
The new policy sounded the knell for the old system.
新政策为旧体制敲响了丧钟。
death knell 是常用固定搭配，与 for 连用表示“导致……终结的事物”。
The scandal was the death knell for his political career.
这桩丑闻是他政治生涯的丧钟。
Not this
He heard knell of the church bell.
Use this
He heard the knell of the church bell.
knell 是可数名词，指某一声具体的钟声/丧钟时前面要有冠词或限定词；汉语可以说“听到钟声”而省略数量词，但英语不能说 hear knell，需用 the knell 特指那口教堂的钟声。
Not this
The morning knell told me it was time to get up.
Use this
The morning bell told me it was time to get up.
knell 专指宣告死亡、葬礼或结束的缓慢钟声，不是普通的“铃声/钟声”；早上起床的铃声应为 morning bell。用 knell 会带上不祥、终结的意味。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
丧钟；终结的预兆
The company's bankruptcy sounded the death knell for its employees' hopes.
公司破产为员工的希望敲响了丧钟。
敲响丧钟；宣告……的终结
The unexpected defeat sounded the knell of the old regime.
意外的失败敲响了旧政权的丧钟。
敲响丧钟
The church bells tolled the knell for the departed king.
教堂的钟声为逝去的国王敲响了丧钟。
葬礼的丧钟声
A funeral knell rang out across the village.
一声葬礼丧钟响彻村庄。
厄运的预兆
The ominous clouds were a knell of doom for the picnic.
不祥的乌云预示着野餐要泡汤。
丧钟；(事业、希望的)终结信号
The scandal proved to be the death knell of her career.
这桩丑闻成了她职业生涯的丧钟。
敲响……的丧钟；宣告……的终结
The economic crisis sounded the knell of the empire.
经济危机敲响了该帝国的丧钟。
为……敲响丧钟；预示……的结束
The new technology tolled the knell for the old industry.
新技术为旧产业敲响了丧钟。
晚钟为将逝的白昼敲响了丧钟。
The announcement sounded the death knell for the old regime.
这一公告为旧政权敲响了丧钟。
Use knell naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
knell 像 bell（钟）多了 k 和 n，k 不发音：丧钟声，终结之兆。
语域：mixed 常见场景：literary writing、news reporting knell 多用于书面语，具体语境有所差异：在文学或正式场合指钟声，较庄重；在新闻评论中常见于 death knell（丧钟，预兆），表示某事终结。日常口语中较少使用。
这些词都与 knell /nɛl/ 押韵：它们都有相同的元音 /ɛ/ 后接 /l/。注意 knell 中的 k 不发音。要小心形似的 kneel /niːl/ 和 knoll /noʊl/，它们看起来像但发音不同。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.