{
    "term": "nature",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "all the plants, animals and things that exist in the universe that are not made by people",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Take time to appreciate the beauties of nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "man-made substances not found in nature"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A lot of nature conservation is about protecting habitats."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He believed in spending half an hour each day to relax and commune with nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His love of nature was expressed through his wildlife paintings."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's highly unlikely that this mound was produced by nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We appreciate beauty in nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "people who live in the country and are close to nature"
                },
                {
                    "text": "White phosphorus is so reactive that it is not found in nature."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["The environment"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["Mother"],
                "verb + nature": ["commune with", "be back to", "get back to"],
                "nature + verb": [
                    "endow (somebody with) something",
                    "give somebody something",
                    "provide (somebody with) something"
                ],
                "nature + noun": ["conservation", "preserve", "reserve"],
                "preposition": ["close to nature", "in nature"],
                "phrases": [
                    "the forces of nature",
                    "the laws of nature",
                    "a love of nature"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the way that things happen in the physical world when it is not controlled by people",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The **forces of nature** are constantly reshaping our world."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is impossible to change the **laws of nature**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her illness was Nature's way of telling her to do less."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Is genius the result of **nature or nurture**?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It seemed against the laws of nature that such a creature could even exist."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Nature had endowed her with exceptional vitality."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Nature remains indifferent to human crises."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["Mother"],
                "verb + nature": ["commune with", "be back to", "get back to"],
                "nature + verb": [
                    "endow (somebody with) something",
                    "give somebody something",
                    "provide (somebody with) something"
                ],
                "nature + noun": ["conservation", "preserve", "reserve"],
                "preposition": ["close to nature", "in nature"],
                "phrases": [
                    "the forces of nature",
                    "the laws of nature",
                    "a love of nature"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the usual way that a person or an animal behaves that is part of their character",
            "sensetop": "by natureit is not in somebody's nature to do somethingit is against somebody's nature to do something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She is very sensitive by nature.",
                    "contextForm": "by nature"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's not in his nature to be unkind.",
                    "contextForm": "it is not in somebody's nature to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was against her nature to tell lies.",
                    "contextForm": "it is against somebody's nature to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We appealed to his **better nature** *(= his kindness)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's not in his nature to complain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He had a vicious side to his nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He has an inquisitive nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's not by nature an inquisitive person."
                },
                {
                    "text": "People are always taking advantage of her good nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was no point appealing to her better nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the expressive part of his nature"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["basic", "essential", "fundamental"],
                "verb + nature": ["have", "reveal", "conceal"],
                "preposition": [
                    "by nature",
                    "concerning the nature of",
                    "considering the nature of"
                ],
                "phrases": [
                    "by its very nature",
                    "the extent and nature of something",
                    "an insight into the nature of something"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "the basic qualities of a thing",
            "sensetop": "in natureby its nature",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the changing nature of society"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's difficult to define the exact nature of the problem."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His work explores the nature of the mother-child relationship."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My work is very specialized in nature.",
                    "contextForm": "in nature"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The future **by its very nature** is uncertain.",
                    "contextForm": "by its nature"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The film reflects the fickle nature of love and how relationships lose their charm."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Despite the serious nature of his wounds, he stood up and walked."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Are you aware of the nature of the risks involved?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Because of the detailed nature of the work, I have to use a very fine brush."
                },
                {
                    "text": "By its very nature a secret service is not open to public inspection."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Given the nature of this matter, I am inclined to think it should be managed by you personally."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His theory provides a remarkable insight into the nature of the British constitution."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'm not clear about the exact nature of their relationship."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The Buddhist goal is to realize the true nature of the world."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The gentle lower slopes belie the true nature of the mountain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The method employed will depend on the nature of the task."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The parties would not reveal the exact nature of the dispute."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The victim has not been identified because of the sensitive nature of the case."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their strategy was essentially political in nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This new information does not change the nature of our findings."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We need to understand the true extent and nature of the problem."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a debate concerning the nature of violence"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the dual nature of man as a physical and spiritual being"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the subjective nature of an odour"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the unsatisfactory nature of the meeting"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["basic", "essential", "fundamental"],
                "verb + nature": ["have", "reveal", "conceal"],
                "preposition": [
                    "by nature",
                    "concerning the nature of",
                    "considering the nature of"
                ],
                "phrases": [
                    "by its very nature",
                    "the extent and nature of something",
                    "an insight into the nature of something"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "a type or kind of something",
            "sensetop": "of a… nature",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His books were mainly of a scientific nature.",
                    "contextForm": "of a… nature"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Don't worry about things of that nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Decisions of this nature often take a long time."
                },
                {
                    "text": "matters of a routine nature"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their problems are of an economic nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The legal concept of insanity is of a different nature from the medical."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They define sexual harassment as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the international nature of the business"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["basic", "essential", "fundamental"],
                "verb + nature": ["have", "reveal", "conceal"],
                "preposition": [
                    "by nature",
                    "concerning the nature of",
                    "considering the nature of"
                ],
                "phrases": [
                    "by its very nature",
                    "the extent and nature of something",
                    "an insight into the nature of something"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "having the type of character or quality mentioned",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a good-natured man"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "not natural; not moral",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Murder is a crime against nature."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "(to return to) a simple kind of life in the country, away from cities",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "When you’re camping, you can get back to nature."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We built our house in the country because we wanted to get back to nature."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the need to go to the toilet",
            "labels": "(humorous)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a person with a very strong personality who is full of energy, very determined and difficult for others to resist",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Gerard is a force of nature, continually pursuing his target when everyone else is ready to give up."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the power of the wind, rain, etc., especially when it causes damage or harm",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They were fighting a losing battle against the forces of nature."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "similar to something; a type of something; in the style of something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His speech was in the nature of an apology."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "in the way that things usually happen",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "In the nature of things, young people often rebel against their parents."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to allow natural processes to happen, without trying to stop or change them (used especially in the context of illness)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The midwife must judge when to let nature take its course and when to intervene."
                },
                {
                    "text": "When the dog responded so badly to the treatment, we decided to let nature take its course."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈneɪtʃə(r)/",
                "audio": "na/nature/nature__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈneɪtʃər/",
                "audio": "na/nature/nature__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English (denoting the physical power of a person): from Old French, from Latin natura ‘birth, nature, quality’, from nat- ‘born’, from the verb nasci."
}