den

Everyday

1. The home of a wild animal, often hidden, like a fox's or lion's den or a bear's cave. tree →
2. A secret hideout that children build or play in, from sticks, blankets or boxes. tree →
3. A small cosy room in a house for relaxing (mainly American). tree →
4. A place where bad things happen in secret: a den of thieves. tree →

In the lessons

In science, many animals use dens to sleep, hide and raise their young: foxes, wolves, bears and badgers (a badger's home is called a sett). In outdoor play and forest school, children build dens from branches and tarps, learning teamwork and design; check that the den is safe and never go into real animal dens. In stories, a "lion's den" means a scary place. Phrases: "build a den", "a fox's den", "into the lion's den", "a den of thieves", "Cub Scout den".

Examples

• We built a den out of sticks in the woods. tree →
• The fox cubs stayed safe in their den. tree →
• Bears sleep in dens during the winter. tree →
• My brother and I made a blanket den in the living room. tree →
• Dad watches TV in the den. tree →
• Going to the head teacher's office felt like walking into the lion's den. tree →
• The robbers met in a secret den. tree →
• Never crawl into an animal's den. tree →

Note

Countable: a den, dens. Different animals' homes have special names: a rabbit's burrow (warren), a badger's sett, a bird's nest, a bee's hive. In the Scouts (USA), a "den" is a small group of Cub Scouts.

In Jewish tradition

In science, many animals use dens to sleep, hide and raise their young: foxes, wolves, bears and badgers (a badger's home is called a sett). In outdoor play and forest school, children build dens from branches and tarps, learning teamwork and design; check that the den is safe and never go into real animal dens. In stories, a "lion's den" means a scary place. Phrases: "build a den", "a fox's den", "into the lion's den", "a den of thieves", "Cub Scout den".

Examples

• Geist ; verbannte sie mit sieben, goss sie aus mit den zwolf Gestimen.**, "He drew them with water. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• Then the beasts go into coverts, and remain in their dens. (Writings JOB.37.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• The sun ariseth, they slink away, and couch in their dens. (Writings PSA.104.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? (Writings JOB.38.40, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: a den, dens. Different animals' homes have special names: a rabbit's burrow (warren), a badger's sett, a bird's nest, a bee's hive. In the Scouts (USA), a "den" is a small group of Cub Scouts.