nature

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. character, type, sort, kind; essence, basis, essential; constitution, quality; disposition, structure; temperament, bent, class, form; heart; creation, universe. See feeling, intrinsic, tendency.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [The external universe]

Syn. cosmos, creation, macrocosm, world; see universe , earth 1 .

2. [The complex of essential qualities]

Syn. characteristics, quality, constitution; see character 1 , essence 1 .

3. [Natural surroundings]

Syn. outside world, out-of-doors, scenery, rural setting, natural setting, view, seascape, landscape, the outdoors, external nature, natural scenery, God's hand, recreational facilities, forest primeval, the Great outdoors*, the birds and the bees*; see also environment , reality 1 .

4. [Natural forces]

Syn. natural law, natural order, the forces of nature, underlying cause, cosmic process, physical energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, water power, fission, fusion, hydrogen atom, heavy water, atomic power, the sun, radiation, Rays; beta Rays, gamma Rays; see also energy 3 , physics .

5. [Vital forces in an organism]

Syn. creation, generation, regeneration, restoration, vivification, animation, energy, quickening, reproductiveness, life force, the nature of the beast*; see also life 1 , 2 , strength 1 .

6. [Kind]

Syn. species, sort, type; see kind 2 , variety 1 , 2 .

• by nature,

Syn. inherently, by birth, as a matter of course; see naturally 2 .

• in a state of nature,

Syn. uncultivated, not tamed, primitive; see wild 3 .

• of or [m1]• in the nature of,

Syn. similar to, having the essential character of, as compared to; see like .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

1. character makeup, constitution, personality, essence, identity.

2. disposition temperament, temper, spirit, personality.

3. physical world cosmos, universe, creation, environment, ecology, evolution, chaos, regeneration, natural forces, the wild, the great outdoors, Mother Nature. ''The never idle workshop.''—Mathew Arnold. ''The art of God eternal.''—Dante. ''The living, visible garment of God.''—Johann W. Goethe ''God under a disguise.''—A.E. Taylor.

4. kind class, type, sort, species, stripe, category, brand.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun 1. The totality of all existing things: cosmos, creation, macrocosm, universe, world. See MATTER, PART. 2. A class that is defined by the common attribute or attributes possessed by all its members: breed, cast, description, feather, ilk, kind2, lot, manner, mold, order, sort, species, stamp, stripe, type, variety. Informal: persuasion. See GROUP. 3. The combination of emotional, intellectual, and moral qualities that distinguishes an individual: character, complexion, disposition, makeup, personality. See BE. 4. A basic trait or set of traits that define and establish the character of something: being, essence, essentiality, quintessence, substance, texture. See SURFACE. 5. A person's customary manner of emotional response: complexion, disposition, humor, temper, temperament. See BE.