Phrase guide

lion's den

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Any dangerous or frightening place.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dragon's den

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lion, den.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

After the story of Daniel in the lions' den in chapter 6 of the Book of Daniel.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عَرِين الْأُسُود (ʕarīn al-ʔusūd) — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Catalan: fossa dels lleons — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Dutch: hol van de leeuw — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Finnish: leijonanluola — a dangerous or frightening place
  • French: gueule du loup — a dangerous or frightening place
  • French: fosse aux lions — a dangerous or frightening place
  • German: Höhle des Löwen — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Italian: antro — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Italian: tana — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Italian: covo — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Italian: fossa del leone — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Italian: fossa dei leoni — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Polish: w paszczy lwa — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Polish: jaskinia lwa — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Portuguese: cova dos leões — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Romanian: groapa cu lei — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Spanish: foso de los leones — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Spanish: boca del lobo — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Swedish: lejonkula — a dangerous or frightening place
  • Turkish: kurtlar sofrası — a dangerous or frightening place