/nel/ , n.
1. the sound made by a bell rung slowly, esp. for a death or a funeral.
2. a sound or sign announcing the death of a person or the end, extinction, failure, etc., of something: the knell of parting day.
3. any mournful sound.
v.i.
4. to sound, as a bell, esp. a funeral bell.
5. to give forth a mournful, ominous, or warning sound.
v.t.
6. to proclaim or summon by, or as if by, a bell.
[ bef. 950; (n.) ME knel, OE cynll; (v.) ME knellen, knyllen, OE cynllan; c. ON knylla to beat, strike; akin to D knal bang, knallen to bang, G Knall explosion, knallen to explode ]