den meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

den

noun

CA, US, UK /ˈdɛn/ · /ˈdɪ̟n/

Etymology From Middle English den, from Old English denn (“den, lair (of a beast), cave; a swine-pasture, a woodland pasture for swine”), from Proto-West Germanic *dani (“threshing-floor, barn-floor”). Cognate with Scots den (“den, lair”), Middle Dutch denne (“burrow, den, cave, attic”), Dutch den (“ship's deck, threshing-floor, mountain floor”), Middle Low German denne, danne (“threshing-floor, small dale”), German Tenne (“threshing-floor, barn for threshing”).

1

A small cavern or hollow place in the side of a hill, or among rocks; especially, a cave used by a wild animal for shelter or concealment.

a den of robbers
Daniel was put into the lions’ den.

2

A squalid or wretched place; a haunt.

a den of vice
an opium den; a gambling den

1 more example

Lying in a den in Bombay With a slack jaw and not much to say1980, Colin Hay, Ron Strykert, “Down Under”, performed by Men at Work:

3

A comfortable room not used for formal entertaining.

Near-synonyms: family room, sunroom, Florida room, Arizona room, rec room, playroom

4

Synonym of fort (“structure improvised from furniture, etc. for playing games.”).

Our little girls love using bedsheets and other stuff around the house to make dens in the living room and pretending they're on adventures.

5

Scotland, UK, Obsolete A narrow glen; a ravine; a dell.

I have made several visits of late to the Den of Rubislaw1806, Sir William Forbes, An Account of the Life and Writings of James Beattie, LL.D., including many of his Original Letters:

6

A group of Cub Scouts of the same age who work on projects together.

Derived terms: beard the lion in his den, Boris's den, dealer's den, denful, denlike, den mother, denner, den of iniquity, dragon's den, drug den, gambling den, lion's den, Maggie's den, Major's den, opium den, Tony's den

den

verb

Etymology From Middle English den, from Old English denn (“den, lair (of a beast), cave; a swine-pasture, a woodland pasture for swine”), from Proto-West Germanic *dani (“threshing-floor, barn-floor”). Cognate with Scots den (“den, lair”), Middle Dutch denne (“burrow, den, cave, attic”), Dutch den (“ship's deck, threshing-floor, mountain floor”), Middle Low German denne, danne (“threshing-floor, small dale”), German Tenne (“threshing-floor, barn for threshing”).

1

To ensconce or hide oneself in (or as in) a den.

2

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology Of an animal, to use as a den; to take up residence in.

Although present in virtually all habitats, it preferred to den in caves, so its distribution, especially in cold, northern areas, may have been limited to limestone and other rocky regions where caves form.2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 203:
“Denning” – behaviour around making dens – has changed and bears are swimming long distances, but, says Aars, there is still enough sea ice in the spring for the bears to hunt successfully.2023 August 30, Patrick Greenfield, “Why it may be time to stop using the polar bear as a symbol of the climate crisis”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

den

adv

1

Pronunciation spelling Pronunciation spelling of then, representing AAVE, Bermuda English.

Related terms: good-den