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nature trail
Nativity, especially one performed by young children at British schools at Christmas time → compare PASSION PLAY
NATO /'nætəʊ/ abbrev. for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; a group of European and North American countries which give military help to each other. NATO was originally established after World War II for the defence of the west against the former Soviet Union. But the political changes of the 1990s led to new ideas about its purpose, and several former Communist countries of Eastern Europe are now planning to join.
nat-ter /'nætə/ v [!(AWAY, ON)] BrE infml to talk continuously about unimportant things; CHATTER: They nattered (away) all afternoon. —natter n [S] a long natter
nat-ty /'næti/ adj old-fash infml neat in appearance; SMART: He's a very natty dresser. (=he dresses neatly and fashionably) —tily adv
nat-u-ral¹ /'nætʃərəl/ adj 1 of or being what exists or happens ordinarily in the world, especially a) not caused, made, or controlled by people: The country's natural resources include forests, coal, and oil. | death from natural causes | The town has a fine natural harbour. → compare ARTIFICIAL, MAN-MADE b) not concerning gods, fairies, or spirits: a natural explanation for the strange event → opposite SUPERNATURAL 2 a) expected from experience; usual: It's very natural to feel nervous when you go to a new school. | It's only natural that you should be nervous. → opposite UNNATURAL, ABNORMAL b) generally expected and accepted, in accordance with the facts of a situation: Her marketing background made her a natural choice for the job. 3 not looking or sounding different from usual; not AFFECTED: Try to look natural for your photograph. 4 a) belonging to someone from birth; not learned; INNATE: a natural talent for music | Cats have a natural aversion to water. b) [A] (of a person) having a skill or quality from birth; not needing to be taught: a natural musician/story-teller 5 [A no comp.] (of a family member) a) actually having the stated relation even if not in law: John was adopted as a baby: he never knew his natural parents. b) euph, now rare ILLEGITIMATE: She claimed to be the natural child of the king. 6 [after n] (of a note in music) not SHARP or FLAT: Don't sing C sharp, sing C natural! → see also NATURALLY; compare FLAT² —ness n [U]
natural² n 1 [C usually sing.] infml someone or something well suited to a job, part in a play etc, or certain to succeed: As an actor, he's a natural. 2 (in music) a) a note which is not raised or lowered by a SHARP or FLAT b) the sign (♮) for this → compare FLAT¹
natural-born adj natural-born fool/singer etc AmE infml someone who has always had a particular quality or skill without having to try hard
natural 'childbirth n [U] a method of giving birth to a baby in which a woman chooses not to use drugs and uses breathing exercises to control pain
natural 'gas n [U] gas used especially for heating and lighting taken from under the earth or under the bottom of the sea → compare COAL GAS
natural 'history n [U] the study of plants, animals, and minerals, especially as a subject of general interest → compare NATURAL SCIENCE
Natural 'History Mu,seum, the 1 a MUSEUM in West London which contains objects and information about the history of plants, animals, and minerals, and is famous for its collection of DINOSAUR bones 2 a similar museum in New York City
nat-u-ral-is-m /'nætʃərəlɪzəm/ n [U] 1 the showing, in art and literature, of the world and people exactly as they are 2 the system of thought which tries to explain everything by natural causes and laws → compare IDEALISM, REALISM
nat-u-ral-ist /'nætʃərəlɪst/ n 1 a person who studies plants or animals, especially outdoors and not in a LABORATORY 2 a person who believes in naturalism in art or literature
nat-u-ral-is-tic /,nætʃərə'lɪstɪk/ also naturalist adj showing or practising naturalism: a naturalistic writer/painting —ally /kli/ adv
nat-u-ral-ize also -ise BrE /'nætʃərəlaz/ v [T often pass.] 1 to make (a person born elsewhere) a citizen of a country: She became naturalized after living in Britain for ten years. 2 to bring (a plant or animal) into a new place to live 3 to accept (a foreign word or phrase) as part of a language: 'Apropos' is a French phrase now naturalized into/in English. —ization /,nætʃərəlaɪ'zeɪʃənɪl-ɪə-/ n [U]
nat-u-ral-ly /'nætʃərəli|-tʃərəli, -tʃərli/ adv 1 by nature; as a natural quality: Her cheeks are naturally red. | Swimming seems to come naturally to her. (=she can easily learn to do it) 2 without trying to look or sound different from usual: Try to speak naturally to the television camera. 3 of course; as one could have expected: 'Did you win the game?' 'Naturally.' | Naturally you will want to discuss it with your wife.
,natural phi'losophy n [U] old use science, especially PHYSICS
,natural re'source /|¦... '.../ n [usually P] things that exist in nature and can be used by people, for example oil, trees etc: a country with abundant natural resources
,natural re'sources /|¦... '.../ n [P] materials, land, and natural forces which exist in a place and can be used by humans: The country's natural resources include coal, iron, and copper. | We plan to use the natural resources of the site, especially wind and water power, to the full.
,natural 'science n 1 [U] BIOLOGY, chemistry, and PHYSICS considered together as subjects for study 2 [C usually pl.] any of these: Which of the natural sciences have you studied? → compare NATURAL HISTORY, SOCIAL SCIENCE
,natural se'lection also survival of the fittest n [U] tech the process by which plants and animals that are best suited to the conditions around them continue to live, while those less suited to these conditions die
,natural 'wastage n [U] a reduction in the number of people employed by a firm etc, which happens when people leave their jobs and are not replaced
na·ture /'neɪtʃə/ n 1 [U] (often cap.) everything that exists in the world independently of people, such as plants and animals, earth and rocks, and the weather: They stopped to admire the beauties of nature. (=scenery) | Farming on such bad land is a struggle against nature. → see also MOTHER NATURE 2 [C;U] the qualities that make someone or something different from others; character: What is the nature of the new chemical? | It's not in her nature to be rude; she's polite by nature. (=she has a polite nature) | It's his nature to be generous. | It's only human nature to like money. (=everyone likes money) | Owing to the sensitive nature of this case, the trial will be held in secret. 3 [S] a type; sort: ceremonies of a solemn nature | I think he's a physicist or something of that nature. 4 in the nature of things as is natural; as may be expected: In the nature of things, there is bound to be the occasional accident. 5 in a state of nature a) in the supposed unspoiled condition of people before civilization b) euph or humor wearing no clothes; NAKED 6 let nature take its course infml to allow events to happen without help from anyone 7 nature red in tooth and claw quote a phrase from a poem by Alfred, Lord TENNYSON, used when saying how cruel the natural world is → see also CALL OF NATURE, SECOND NATURE, GOOD-NATURED
Nature a British weekly JOURNAL (=serious magazine) which deals with all areas of science. It is a very respected journal, and many important new discoveries are first reported in articles in Nature.
'nature conser,vation n [U] work done to control, prevent, or repair damage done to nature especially by humans
,nature-'nurture ,controversy, the a difference of opinions about which has a greater influence on people and animals; their GENETIC (=natural) system, or their environment. This argument is usually connected with political and social questions, often about race.
'nature re,serve n an area in which usually rare animals and plants are protected from being damaged by humans, for example by limiting the movement of people through the area
'nature ,study n [U] the study of plants, animals etc, especially purely for pleasure, or as a school subject: a nature study class/lesson
'nature trail n a path in a country area where many plants, animals etc can be seen, especially as laid out by a local group, farmer etc to keep visitors from walking everywhere and destroying wild life