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glas

death knell

noun GLAH Rare
Arts & Culture Traditions

Also means

passing bell

Usage Note

Glas refers to the slow tolling of a bell to announce a death or funeral — the 'knell'. The idiomatic phrase sonner le glas de quelque chose means 'to sound the death knell of something', used metaphorically for the end of an era, institution, or idea. The final s is silent.

Examples

"Les cloches sonnaient le glas dans tout le village."

Natural Translation

The bells were tolling the death knell throughout the village.

Literal Translation

The bells were-ringing the knell in all the village.

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