2 ADV [ADV after v] If one thing develops naturally from another, it develops as a normal consequence or result of it. □ A study of yoga leads naturally to meditation.
3 ADV [ADV adj] You can use naturally to talk about a characteristic of someone's personality when it is the way that they normally act. □ He has a lively sense of humour and appears naturally confident.
4 ADV [ADV adj] If someone is naturally good at something, they learn it easily and quickly and do it very well. □ Some individuals are naturally good communicators.
5 PHRASE If something comes naturally to you, you find it easy to do and quickly become good at it. □ With football, it was just something that came naturally to me. SYNONYMS naturally ADV
1
obviously: Obviously, they've had sponsorship from some big companies.
of course: Of course, there were lots of other interesting things at the exhibition.
certainly: Certainly, pets can help children develop friendship skills.
4
inherently: Aeroplanes are not inherently dangerous.
instinctively: Jane instinctively knew all was not well with her 10-month-old son.
innately: I believe everyone is innately psychic.
na tu|ral re|sou rces N‑PLURAL Natural resources are all the land, forests, energy sources and minerals existing naturally in a place that can be used by people. □ Angola was a country rich in natural resources.
na tu|ral se|le c|tion N‑UNCOUNT Natural selection is a process by which species of animals and plants that are best adapted to their environment survive and reproduce, while those that are less well adapted die out. □ Natural selection ensures only the fittest survive to pass their genes on to the next generation.
na tu|ral wa st|age N‑UNCOUNT Natural wastage is the process of employees leaving their jobs because they want to retire or move to other jobs, rather than because their employer makes them leave. [mainly BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ The company hopes the job cuts will be made through natural wastage and voluntary redundancy. in AM, usually use attrition
na|ture ◆◆◇ /ne I tʃə r / (natures )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Nature is all the animals, plants, and other things in the world that are not made by people, and all the events and processes that are not caused by people. □ …grasses that grow wild in nature. □ …the ecological balance of nature.
2 → see also Mother Nature
3 N‑SING [oft n N , oft by/in N ] The nature of something is its basic quality or character. □ [+ of ] Mr Sharp would not comment on the nature of the issues being investigated. □ [+ of ] …the ambitious nature of the programme. □ The rise of a major power is both economic and military in nature.
4 N‑SING [with poss, oft by N ] Someone's nature is their character, which they show by the way they behave. □ Jeya feels that her ambitious nature made her unsuitable for an arranged marriage. □ She trusted people. That was her nature. □ He was by nature affectionate.
5 → see also human nature
6 PHRASE If you want to get back to nature , you want to return to a simpler way of living. □ She was very anxious to get away from cities and back to nature.
7 PHRASE If you say that something has a particular characteristic by its nature or by its very nature , you mean that things of that type always have that characteristic. □ Peacekeeping, by its nature, makes pre-planning difficult. □ One could argue that smoking, by its very nature, is addictive.
8 PHRASE Some people talk about a call of nature when referring politely to the need to go to the toilet. [POLITENESS ] □ I'm afraid I have to answer a call of nature.
9 PHRASE If you say that something is in the nature of things , you mean that you would expect it to happen in the circumstances mentioned. □ Many have already died, and in the nature of things many more will die.
10 PHRASE If you say that one thing is in the nature of another, you mean that it is like the other thing. □ It was in the nature of a debate rather than an argument.
11 PHRASE If a way of behaving is second nature to you, you do it almost without thinking because it is easy for you or obvious to you. □ Planning ahead had always come as second nature to her. □ It's not easy at first, but it soon becomes second nature. SYNONYMS nature NOUN
3
quality: …the pretentious quality of the poetry.
characteristics: Genes determine the characteristics of every living thing.
attribute: Cruelty is a normal attribute of human behaviour.
4
character: Perhaps there is a negative side to his character that you haven't seen yet.
personality: He has such a kind, friendly personality.
temperament: His impulsive temperament regularly got him into difficulties.
na |ture study N‑UNCOUNT Nature study is the study of animals and plants by looking at them directly, for example when it is taught to young children.
na |ture trail (nature trails ) N‑COUNT A nature trail is a route through an area of countryside which has signs drawing attention to interesting animals, plants, or rocks.
na|tur|ism /ne I tʃər I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Naturism is the same as nudism . [mainly BRIT ] ● na|tur|ist (naturists ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] □ …a naturist beach.
naught /nɔː t/ → see nought