passing bell
Preserved but no longer current.
The hallowed bell which used to be rung when persons were in extremis, to scare away evil spirits which were supposed to lurk about the dying ready to pounce on the soul while passing from the body. It is a very ancient custom, and the Athenians used to beat on brazen kettles at the moment of a decease to scare away the Furies.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “passing bell” mean?
The hallowed bell which used to be rung when persons were in extremis, to scare away evil spirits which were supposed to lurk about the dying ready to pounce on the soul while passing from the body. It is a very ancient custom, and the Athenians used to beat on brazen kettles at the moment of a decease to scare away the Furies.
Is “passing bell” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.