swan song

noun

: a song of great sweetness said to be sung by a dying swan

: a farewell appearance or final act or pronouncement

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Swans don't sing. They whistle or trumpet, or in the case of the swan most common in ponds, the mute swan, they only hiss and snort. But according to ancient legend, the swan does sing one beautiful song in its life-just before it dies. References in English to the dying swan's lovely singing go back as far as Chaucer, but the term swan song itself didn't appear in the language until the 1830s, when Thomas Carlyle used it in Sartor Resartus. Carlyle probably based his "swan song" on the German version of the term, which is Schwanengesang or Schwanenlied.

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As previously reported, Jensen Ackles will return as a series regular for the show’s swan song (and then headline the prequel spinoff Vought Rising alongside Aya Cash). —

Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Sep. 2024 Jackman last appeared as Wolverine in what was supposed to be the character’s swan song with Logan in 2017, but Deadpool & Wolverine was able to bring the actor’s deceased character back to life via Marvel’s multiverse. —

Tim Lammers, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024 This year's annual meeting also gave President Joe Biden an opportunity to deliver his swan song on the international stage during a speech to world diplomats Tuesday morning. —

Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2024 Ferragamo, who was effectively making his swan song this year, gave the owners special parting gifts: for the men, signature ties made for the Cup, and for the women, a silk scarf with the same pattern. —

Tonya Russell, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for swan song