passing bell en · NOUN
Etymology
From passing + bell.
Meanings
-
A bell rung to announce a passing, a death, or funeral; death bell, death knell.
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? — Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons.
1917, Wilfred Owen, Anthem for Doomed Youth:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| passing-bell | alternative | lexicographic | |
| passing bells | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
lych bell · dead bell · death knell · soul bell · death bell · mort bell · skellet bell · soul knell