Toll sounds a little Dickensian! (5)

I believe the answer is:

knell

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'toll' is the definition.
(I know that knell is a type of toll)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for knell that I've seen before include "Funeral toll" , "it precipitates death" , "Funereal bell sound" , "Solemn sound of a bell" , "Sound of tolling bell" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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