ringing the hallowed bell
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Consecrated bells were believed to be able to disperse storms and pestilence, drive away devils (see PASSING BELL, above}, and extinguish fire.
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 “ringing the hallowed bell” mean?
Consecrated bells were believed to be able to disperse storms and pestilence, drive away devils (see PASSING BELL, above}, and extinguish fire.
Is “ringing the hallowed bell” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.