5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Nature  \Na"ture\,  v.  t. 
  To  endow  with  natural  qualities.  [Obs.] 
 
  He  [God]  which  natureth  every  kind  --Gower. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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  world  of  matter,  or  of 
  matter  and  mind;  the  creation;  the  universe. 
 
  But  looks  through  nature  up  to  nature's  God.  --Pope. 
 
  Nature  has  caprices  which  art  can  not  imitate. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  2.  The  personified  sum  and  order  of  causes  and  effects;  the 
  powers  which  produce  existing  phenomena,  whether  in  the 
  total  or  in  detail;  the  agencies  which  carry  on  the 
  processes  of  creation  or  of  being  --  often  conceived  of 
  as  a  single  and  separate  entity,  embodying  the  total  of 
  all  finite  agencies  and  forces  as  disconnected  from  a 
  creating  or  ordering  intelligence. 
 
  I  oft  admire  How  Nature,  wise  and  frugal,  could 
  commit  Such  disproportions.  --Milton. 
 
  3.  The  established  or  regular  course  of  things  usual  order 
  of  events;  connection  of  cause  and  effect. 
 
  4.  Conformity  to  that  which  is  natural,  as  distinguished  from 
  that  which  is  artifical,  or  forced,  or  remote  from  actual 
  experience. 
 
  One  touch  of  nature  makes  the  whole  world  kin. 
  --Shak. 
 
  5.  The  sum  of  qualities  and  attributes  which  make  a  person  or 
  thing  what  it  is  as  distinct  from  others  native 
  character;  inherent  or  essential  qualities  or  attributes; 
  peculiar  constitution  or  quality  of  being 
 
  Thou,  therefore,  whom  thou  only  canst  redeem,  Their 
  nature  also  to  thy  nature  join  And  be  thyself  man 
  among  men  on  earth.  --Milton. 
 
  6.  Hence:  Kind  sort;  character;  quality. 
 
  A  dispute  of  this  nature  caused  mischief.  --Dryden. 
 
  7.  Physical  constitution  or  existence;  the  vital  powers;  the 
  natural  life.  ``My  days  of  nature.''  --Shak. 
 
  Oppressed  nature  sleeps.  --Shak. 
 
  8.  Natural  affection  or  reverence. 
 
  Have  we  not  seen  The  murdering  son  ascend  his 
  parent's  bed,  Through  violated  nature  foce  his  way? 
  --Pope. 
 
  9.  Constitution  or  quality  of  mind  or  character. 
 
  A  born  devil,  on  whose  nature  Nurture  can  never 
  stick.  --Shak. 
 
  That  reverence  which  is  due  to  a  superior  nature. 
  --Addison. 
 
  {Good  nature},  {Ill  nature}.  see  under  {Good}  and  {Ill}. 
 
  {In  a  state  of  nature}. 
  a  Naked  as  when  born;  nude. 
  b  In  a  condition  of  sin;  unregenerate. 
  c  Untamed;  uncvilized. 
 
  {Nature  printng},  a  process  of  printing  from  metallic  or 
  other  plates  which  have  received  an  impression,  as  by 
  heavy  pressure,  of  an  object  such  as  a  leaf,  lace,  or  the 
  like 
 
  {Nature  worship},  the  worship  of  the  personified  powers  of 
  nature. 
 
  {To  pay  the  debt  of  nature},  to  die. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  nature 
  n  1:  the  essential  qualities  or  characteristics  by  which 
  something  is  recognized;  "it  is  the  nature  of  fire  to 
  burn" 
  2:  a  causal  agent  creating  and  controlling  things  in  the 
  universe;  "nature  has  seen  to  it  that  men  are  stronger 
  than  women" 
  3:  a  wild  primitive  state  untouched  by  civilization;  "he  lived 
  in  the  wild";  "they  tried  to  preserve  nature  as  they  found 
  it"  [syn:  {wild},  {natural  state},  {state  of  nature}] 
  4:  everything  that  exists  anywhere;  "they  study  the  evolution 
  of  the  universe";  "the  biggest  tree  in  existence"  [syn:  {universe}, 
  {existence},  {creation},  {world},  {cosmos},  {macrocosm}] 
  5:  the  complex  of  emotional  and  intellectual  attributes  that 
  determine  a  person's  characteristic  actions  and  reactions: 
  "it  is  his  nature  to  help  others" 
  6:  all  non-artificial  phenomena  [syn:  {natural  phenomenon}] 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  nature  n.  See  {has  the  X  nature}. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  nature 
 
  {has  the  X  nature} 
 
 

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