lion's den en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
After the story of Daniel in the lions' den in chapter 6 of the Book of Daniel.
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) Any dangerous or frightening place.
Despite the girl's assurance, we knew that proximity to the sinister Chinaman must be fraught with danger. We stood, not in the lion's den, but in the serpent's lair.
1913, Sax Rohmer, chapter 24, in The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu:Mrs. Bowls cautioned her lodger against venturing into the lion's den, "wherein you will rue it, Miss B., mark my words, and as sure as my name is Bowls."
1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter XL, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:Yeah, I am born again / Out of the lion's den / I don't have to pretend / (And it's too late) / The story's over now, the end
2012, Katy Perry, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Dr. Luke, Cirkut, “Wide Awake”, in Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, performed by Katy Perry:
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lion, den.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| lion's-den | alternative | lexicographic | |
| lions' dens | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| lions'-den | alternative | lexicographic | |
| lions' den | alternative | lexicographic |
Synonyms
Translations (21)
de Höhle des Löwen (a dangerous or frightening place) · pl jaskinia lwa (a dangerous or frightening place) · ca fossa dels lleons (a dangerous or frightening place) · ar عَرِين الْأُسُود (a dangerous or frightening place) · it fossa dei leoni (a dangerous or frightening place) · it tana (a dangerous or frightening place) · fr fosse aux lions (a dangerous or frightening place) · es foso de los leones (a dangerous or frightening place) · it antro (a dangerous or frightening place) · it fossa del leone (a dangerous or frightening place) · tr kurtlar sofrası (a dangerous or frightening place) · pl w paszczy lwa (a dangerous or frightening place) · cs jáma lvová (a dangerous or frightening place) · sv lejonkula (a dangerous or frightening place) · es boca del lobo (a dangerous or frightening place) · it covo (a dangerous or frightening place) · ro groapa cu lei (a dangerous or frightening place) · fi leijonanluola (a dangerous or frightening place) · nl hol van de leeuw (a dangerous or frightening place) · pt cova dos leões (a dangerous or frightening place) · fr gueule du loup (a dangerous or frightening place)
wikipedia: Book of Daniel · wikipedia: Daniel in the lions' den