den
den — noun
- densingular
- densplural
1. a sheltered, hidden place where a wild animal — especially a fox, bear, or wolf
a sheltered, hidden place where a wild animal — especially a fox, bear, or wolf — lives, sleeps, and raises its young
The fox led her cubs out of the den and down to the stream at sunrise.
den + direction: out of the den
Tariro spotted a bear's den tucked between two fallen trees on the mountain trail.
In winter, the wolves stayed close to their den and only hunted when the weather was mild.
A badger's den can stretch several metres underground and have more than one entrance.
The ranger warned the children not to go anywhere near the den while the cubs were inside.
常見錯誤
2. a cosy indoor space, separate from the main living area, where people unwind, wa
a cosy indoor space, separate from the main living area, where people unwind, watch television, read, or enjoy hobbies
After dinner, Sayaka curled up in the den with a soft blanket and an old film.
curled up in the den — den as cosy relaxation spot
The children turned the den into a games room with a big screen and two large beanbags.
Kabir's favourite part of the house was the little den with its worn leather chair and bookshelf.
The Owusu family built a den at the back of the house, far from the noise of the main kitchen.
Grandpa fell asleep in the den every Sunday while the football match was on.
- family room
a larger, more formal space for the whole household, often closer to the kitchen
- snug
a British term for a very small, cosy room in a pub or house
- lounge
more formal; a room for sitting and receiving guests
用法筆記
Common in American English. In British English, a similar room might be called a 'snug' or 'family room'.
3. a simple, often secret structure that children build outdoors using wood, blanke
a simple, often secret structure that children build outdoors using wood, blankets, cardboard boxes, or branches, for playing and hiding in
Mira and her brother spent the morning building a den from old sheets and garden chairs.
building a den from — construction pattern with materials
The children dragged fallen branches across the field to make their den taller and stronger.
When the rain came, the cardboard den in the yard quickly turned into a soggy mess.
Eli showed his cousin the secret den behind the shed, tucked under a thick hedge.
Every child on the street helped paint the wooden den a bright shade of blue.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the den is built by children for play, not used by wild animals. Adults often call a similar structure a 'fort' or 'hideout'.
4. a concealed spot used by criminals as a base for planning or carrying out illega
a concealed spot used by criminals as a base for planning or carrying out illegal operations
Police found a den of car thieves operating from a disused garage near the motorway.
a den of + criminal group
Detectives watched the den for two weeks and took photos of everyone who came and went.
The gang used a basement den to store stolen goods and plan their next robbery.
Chiara read a novel about an opium den hidden beneath the streets of nineteenth-century London.
Officers raided the smugglers' den at dawn and seized boxes of untaxed cigarettes.
用法筆記
Often used in compounds such as 'opium den', 'gambling den', and 'thieves' den'. The word carries a strong negative judgement.
常見錯誤
5. a small group of six to ten Cub Scouts who meet regularly as part of the scoutin
a small group of six to ten Cub Scouts who meet regularly as part of the scouting programme for younger children
João became the leader of his Cub Scout den after the previous leader moved to a different city.
Cub Scout den — full scouting term
Every Tuesday, the den of seven scouts met in the church hall to work on their badges.
Amihan's son was nervous at first but soon made friends in his new den.
The den leader taught the children how to tie several knots and read a simple map.
用法筆記
Specific to Cub Scouts, the section of the Scout movement for children aged about 8 to 10. Older scouts belong to a 'troop' or 'patrol' rather than a den.
den — verb
- denpresent simple I / you / we / they
- dens3rd person singular
- denning-ing form
- dennedpast simple
1. to shelter and rest inside a den — said of wild animals seeking refuge or a plac
to shelter and rest inside a den — said of wild animals seeking refuge or a place to raise young
The wounded fox denned in a hollow log and stayed there until its leg healed.
denned in a hollow log — intransitive with location
During the coldest weeks, the bears denned under a thick layer of snow and fallen branches.
The ranger told us that badgers had been denning in that hillside for over thirty years.
A family of raccoons denned in the attic and kept the whole neighbourhood awake at night.
文法句型
animal + den + in/under/beneath + location
用法筆記
Rare, mainly used in nature writing and wildlife documentaries. The noun 'den' is far more common.
2. to force a wild animal into its den, especially when hunting or trapping it
to force a wild animal into its den, especially when hunting or trapping it
The hunting dogs denned the fox by chasing it into a narrow gap in the rocks.
denned the fox — transitive with animal as object
Hunters used thick smoke to den the badgers before blocking the entrance with large stones.
In the old folk tale, the villagers denned the wolf that had been taking their sheep.
The text described how trappers would den a bear by sending dogs into the cave first.
文法句型
den + animal
用法筆記
Extremely rare in modern English. Mainly found in historical texts about hunting or in wildlife management contexts.