den

plural dens

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

   1 more example

   Daniel was put into the lions’ den.

   Synonyms: lair, luster, Wiktionary appendix of animal terms, including their homes

2. A squalid or wretched place; a haunt.

   a den of vice

   2 more examples

   an opium den; a gambling den

   Lying in a den in Bombay With a slack jaw and not much to say

   1980, 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

   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.

   Synonyms: fort

5. ScotlandUKobsoleteA narrow glen; a ravine; a dell.

   I have made several visits of late to the Den of Rubislaw

   1806, 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.

present singular third person dens · participle present denning · participle past denned · past denned

1. reflexiveTo ensconce or hide oneself in (or as in) a den.
2. intransitivebiologyOf an animal, to use as a den; to take up residence in.

   “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

   1 more example

   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

1. abbreviationAbbreviation of denier (a unit of weight).

plural dens

1. NorthumbriaalternativeAlternative form of dene.

1. not comparablepronunciation spellingPronunciation spelling of then, representing AAVE, Bermuda English.

1. A diminutive of the male given name Dennis.

1. abbreviationhobbiesAbbreviation of Denver.