- 1 (also Nature) [uncountable] all the plants, animals and things that exist in the universe that are not made by people the beauties of nature man-made substances not found in nature nature conservation You cannot use ‘the nature’ in this meaning:the beauties of the nature. It is often better to use another appropriate word, for example the countryside, the scenery or wildlife:We stopped to admire the scenery.We stopped to admire the nature. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveMother verb + naturecommune with, be back to, get back to, … nature + verbendow (somebody with) something, give somebody something, provide (somebody with) something, … nature + nounconservation, preserve, reserve, … prepositionclose to nature, in nature phrasesthe forces of nature, the laws of nature, a love of nature, … See full entry
- 2 (also Nature) [uncountable] the way that things happen in the physical world when it is not controlled by people the forces/laws of nature Just let nature take its course. Her illness was Nature's way of telling her to do less. see also Mother Nature Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveMother verb + naturecommune with, be back to, get back to, … nature + verbendow (somebody with) something, give somebody something, provide (somebody with) something, … nature + nounconservation, preserve, reserve, … prepositionclose to nature, in nature phrasesthe forces of nature, the laws of nature, a love of nature, … See full entry character
- 3 [countable, uncountable] the usual way that a person or an animal behaves that is part of their character It's not in his nature to be unkind. She is very sensitive by nature. We appealed to his better nature (= his kindness). see also good nature, human nature, second nature Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebasic, essential, fundamental, … verb + naturehave, reveal, conceal, … prepositionby nature, concerning the nature of, considering the nature of, … phrasesby its very nature, the extent and nature of something, an insight into the nature of something, … See full entry basic qualities
- 4 [singular] the basic qualities of a thing the changing nature of society It's difficult to define the exact nature of the problem. My work is very specialized in nature. The future by its very nature is uncertain. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebasic, essential, fundamental, … verb + naturehave, reveal, conceal, … prepositionby nature, concerning the nature of, considering the nature of, … phrasesby its very nature, the extent and nature of something, an insight into the nature of something, … See full entry type/kind
- 5[singular] a type or kind of something books of a scientific nature Don't worry about things of that nature. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebasic, essential, fundamental, … verb + naturehave, reveal, conceal, … prepositionby nature, concerning the nature of, considering the nature of, … phrasesby its very nature, the extent and nature of something, an insight into the nature of something, … See full entry -natured
- 6(in adjectives) having the type of character or quality mentioned a good-natured man Word OriginMiddle English (denoting the physical power of a person): from Old French, from Latin natura ‘birth, nature, quality’, from nat- ‘born’, from the verb nasci.Word Familynature nounnatural adjective (≠unnatural)naturally adverb (≠unnaturally)Extra examples Are you aware of the nature of the risks involved? Because of the detailed nature of the work, I have to use a very fine brush. By its very nature a secret service is not open to public inspection. Given the nature of this matter, I am inclined to think it should be managed by you personally. He believed in spending half an hour each day to relax and commune with nature. He had a vicious side to his nature. He has an inquisitive nature. He’s not by nature an inquisitive person. Her view is that aggression is part of human nature. His love of nature was expressed through his wildlife paintings. His theory provides a remarkable insight into the nature of the British constitution. I’m not clear about the exact nature of their relationship. It is important to define the nature of the problem. It was against his nature to tell lies. It’s highly unlikely that this mound was produced by nature. It’s not in his nature to complain. It’s only human nature to want more money. Mother Nature had served up some terrible weather for their cruise. Mother Nature’s way of dealing with overpopulation Nature had endowed her with exceptional vitality. People are always taking advantage of her good nature. The Buddhist goal is to realize the true nature of the world. The gentle lower slopes belie the true nature of the mountain. The legal concept of insanity is of a different nature from the medical. The method employed will depend on the nature of the task. The parties would not reveal the exact nature of the dispute. The victim has not been identified because of the sensitive nature of the case. Their problems are of an economic nature. Their strategy was essentially political in nature. There was no point appealing to her better nature. They define sexual harassment as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. This new information does not change the nature of our findings. We appreciate beauty in nature. We built our house in the country because we wanted to get back to nature. We built our house in the country because we wanted to get back= be close to nature. We can only treat the injury and then let nature take its course. We need to understand the true extent and nature of the problem. a debate concerning the nature of violence matters of a routine nature people who live in the country and are close to nature the dual nature of man as a physical and spiritual being the expressive part of his nature the international nature of the business the subjective nature of an odour the unsatisfactory nature of the meeting A lot of nature conservation is about protecting habitats. Decisions of this nature often take a long time. Don’t worry about things of that nature. Her illness was Nature’s way of telling her to do less. His books were mainly of a scientific nature. It seemed against the laws of nature that such a creature could even exist. It’s not in her nature to be unkind. My work is very specialized in nature. She is very sensitive by nature. Take time to appreciate the beauties of nature. The forces of nature are constantly reshaping our world. The talk addressed the subject of the changing nature of our society. We appealed to his better nature. What’s the nature of his work? White phosphorus is so reactive that it is not found in nature.Idioms
plants, animals
not natural; not moral Murder is a crime against nature.
(to return to) a simple kind of life in the country, away from cities When you’re camping, you can get back to nature.
(humorous) the need to go to the toilet
the power of the wind, rain, etc., especially when it causes damage or harm They were fighting a losing battle against the forces of nature.
similar to something; a type of something; in the style of something His speech was in the nature of an apology.
in the way that things usually happen In the nature of things, young people often rebel against their parents.
Check pronunciation: nature
