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

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

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 he took his place in the cart the drums began to beat the dead march, and the procession moved slowly away.

From Peggy Owen and Liberty by Madison, Lucy Foster

Standing before his door, he watched the procession as it passed up the street, preceded by the band playing a dead march, sometimes interrupted by a whining chant or dirge.

From Black Forest Village Stories by Auerbach, Berthold