dead march

American  

noun

1. a piece of solemn music for a funeral procession, especially one played at a military funeral.

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dead march British  

noun

1. a piece of solemn funeral music played to accompany a procession, esp at military funerals

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Etymology

Origin of dead march

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

There he was draped with black crepe and, while the crowd stood silent and a band began a dead march, the gelding walked slowly around the full circuit of the track.

From Time Magazine Archive

As a dead march nothing like it had ever been attempted before.

From Time Magazine Archive

For three and a half hours no character walks faster than a dead march or speaks faster than five words a minute.

From Time Magazine Archive

The procession moving slowly through close ranks of Horse and Foot Guards holding tapers and torches in their hands, whilst at intervals the bands played a dead march, had, however, a very imposing effect.

From The Greville Memoirs (Second Part) A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852 (Volume 1 of 3) by Greville, Charles

"Yes," said Jasper, "I mout whistle a dead march."

From The Starbucks by Read, Opie Percival