nature

nature
noun
1 PLANTS/ANIMALS ETC also Nature (U) everything in the physical world that is not controlled by humans, such as wild plants and animals, earth and rocks, and the weather: We grew up in the countryside, surrounded by the beauties of nature. | the fundamental forces of nature
2 SB'S CHARACTER (C, U) someone's character: Eric's got a lovely easy-going nature. | be in sb's nature: Jana wouldn't lie, it's not in her nature. | by nature: He was, by nature, a man of few words. | sb's better nature (=your feelings of kindness): I've tried appealing to her better nature, but she still refuses to help. | human nature (=the feelings and natural qualities that everyone has): Of course she's jealous - it's only human nature.
3 CHARACTER OF STH (C, U) a particular combination of qualities that makes something what it is and makes it different from other things: the true nature of their difficulties | by its very nature: Companies are, by their very nature, conservative.
4 TYPE (singular) a particular kind of thing: of a personal/political/difficult nature: books of an erotic nature | The support being given is primarily of a practical nature. | of that nature (=of that kind): I never trouble myself with affairs of that nature. | be in the nature of sth (=to be like something): The cruise was to be in the nature of a `rest cure'.
5 in the nature of things according to the natural way things happen: In the nature of things, there is bound to be the occasional accident.
6 let nature take its course to allow events to happen without doing anything to change the results: Sometimes the best cure is just to let nature take its course.
7 in a state of nature
a) in a natural state, not having been affected by the modern world
b) humorous not wearing any clothes
8 back to nature a style of living in which people try to live more simply
—see also: second nature, the call of nature call 2 (12)

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • nature — [ natyr ] n. f. • 1119; lat. natura I ♦ 1 ♦ (Qualifié) La nature de... Ensemble des caractères, des propriétés qui définissent un être, une chose concrète ou abstraite, généralement considérés comme constituant un genre. ⇒ essence; entité. « on… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Nature — еженедельный научный журнал Обложка журнала от 15 февраля 2001 года Специализация …   Википедия

  • nature — Nature. s. f. Tout l Univers, toutes les choses creées. Dieu est l autheur & le maistre de la nature. l ordre qui regne dans toute la nature. il n y a rien de si beau dans toute la nature, dans toute l estenduë de la nature que le soleil. toute… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Nature — • Has reference to the production of things, and hence generally includes in its connotation the ideas of energy and activity. Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Nature     Nature    …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • nature — Nature, Natura. La nature et maniere de faire, qu un chacun a de nature, Ingenium. Bonne nature, Bonitas ingenij, Bonum ingenium. Nature pleine de vices, Mendosa natura. La nature et vertu des arbres et des herbes, Arborum atque herbarum natura.… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Nature — Beschreibung Fachzeitschrift Fachgebiet Naturwissenschaften Sprache Englisch …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Nature — Na ture (?; 135), n. [F., fr. L. natura, fr. natus born, produced, p. p. of nasci to be born. See {Nation}.] 1. The existing system of things; the universe of matter, energy, time and space; the physical world; all of creation. Contrasted with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • nature — (n.) late 13c., restorative powers of the body, bodily processes; powers of growth; from O.Fr. nature nature, being, principle of life; character, essence, from L. natura course of things; natural character, constitution, quality; the universe,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • nature — The phrase of a…nature, with an adjective before nature, should be used sparingly and only when the adjective by itself will not serve for some reason. For example, a theologian of an enigmatic nature could easily be rephrased as an enigmatic… …   Modern English usage

  • nature — [nā′chər] n. [OFr < L natura < natus, born, produced: see GENUS] 1. the essential character of a thing; quality or qualities that make something what it is; essence 2. inborn character; innate disposition; inherent tendencies of a person 3 …   English World dictionary

  • nature — ► NOUN 1) the physical world, including plants, animals, the landscape, and natural phenomena, as opposed to humans or human creations. 2) the inherent qualities or characteristics of a person or thing. 3) a kind, sort, or class: topics of a… …   English terms dictionary

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