*nature*

135), n. Joint signature. [ R. ] Colgrave. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a second confirming signature endorsing a document already signed.
Syn. -- countersign. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. (Bot.) A rounded tooth or notch of a crenate leaf, or any part that is crenate; -- called also crenelle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being crenated or notched. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of declining or refusing; as, the declinature of an office. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having half the nature of another. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ De- + nature. ] To deprive of its natural qualities; change the nature of. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. to render (ethyl alcohol) unfit to drink by adding in toxic or unpalatable substances (such as benzene or pyridine) which nevertherless permit alcohol to be used as a solvent. [ PJC ]

3. modify the tertiary structure of (a protein or nucleic acid) so as to reduce or destroy its characteristic biological activity. Bioactive macromolecules such as enzymes or DNA may be denatured by heat, acid, alkali, or solvent treatment; the extent of such treatment required to denature a molecule varies with the specific compound. In some cases the denatured molecules may regain their original properties (renature) by other treatments. Denaturation may also cause a change in the physical properties of such molecules, e.g. proteins may become insoluble in water. [ PJC ]

v. i. To become denatured. [ PJC ]

a. [ Pref. dis- + nature: cf. OF. desnaturé, F. dénaturé. ] Deprived or destitute of natural feelings; unnatural. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Well-disposed. “A fair-natured prince.” Ford. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Naturally mild in temper; not easily provoked; amiable; cheerful; not taking offense easily; as, too good-natured to resent a little criticism; the good-natured policeman on our block; the sounds of good-natured play. Opposite of ill-natured. [ Narrower terms: equable, even-tempered, good-tempered, placid ] Also See: kind, pleasant, agreeable, good-natured, pleasing. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. to one's own liking or feelings or nature; pleasing; -- of people. Opposite of disagreeable.
Syn. -- agreeable, pleasing. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

Syn. -- Good-natured, Good-tempered, Good-humored. Good-natured denotes a disposition to please and be pleased. Good-tempered denotes a habit of mind which is not easily ruffled by provocations or other disturbing influences. Good-humored is applied to a spirit full of ease and cheerfulness, as displayed in one's outward deportment and in social intercourse. A good-natured man recommends himself to all by the spirit which governs him. A good-humored man recommends himself particularly as a companion. A good-tempered man is rarely betrayed into anything which can disturb the serenity of the social circle. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With mildness of temper. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of habitual bad temper; having an unpleasant disposition; surly; disagreeable; cross; peevish; fractious; crabbed; -- of people; as, an ill-natured person; an ill-natured disagreeable old man. Opposite of good-natured. [ Narrower terms: argumentative, contentious, disputatious, disputative, litigious : atrabilious, bilious, dyspeptic, liverish : bristly, prickly, snappish, splenetic, waspish : cantankerous, crotchety, ornery : choleric, irascible, hotheaded, hot-headed, hot-tempered, quick-tempered, short-tempered : crabbed, crabby, cross, fussy, fussbudgety, grouchy, grumpy, bad-tempered, ill-tempered: cranky, fractious, irritable, peevish, peckish, pettish, petulant, testy, tetchy, techy : crusty, curmudgeonly, gruff, ill-humored, ill-humoured: dour, glowering, glum, moody, morose, saturnine, sour, sullen : feisty, touchy : huffish, sulky: misanthropic, misanthropical : misogynous : shirty, snorty ill-tempered or annoyed): shrewish, nagging, vixenish : surly, ugly ] Also See: unpleasant. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Dictated by, or indicating, ill nature; spiteful. “The ill-natured task refuse.” Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Intractable; not yielding to culture. [ R. ] “Ill-natured land.” J. Philips.

3. not to one's liking; unpleasant; disagreeable. Opposite of agreeable. [ wns=2 ] [ Narrower terms: annoying, galling, chafing, irritating, nettlesome, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing; nerve-racking, nerve-wracking, stressful, trying ]
Syn. -- disagreeable. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

-- Ill`-na"tured*ly, adv. -- Ill`-na"tured*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 universe of matter, energy, time and space; the physical world; all of creation. Contrasted with the world of mankind, with its mental and social phenomena. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

But looks through nature up to nature's God. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

When, in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bonds which have connected them with another, ans to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal Station which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes that impel them to the Separation. Declaration of Independence

Nature has caprices which art can not imitate. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

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; as, produced by nature; the forces of nature. [ 1913 Webster ]

I oft admire
How Nature, wise and frugal, could commit
Such disproportions. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The established or regular course of things; usual order of events; connection of cause and effect. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Conformity to that which is natural, as distinguished from that which is artificial, or forced, or remote from actual experience. [ 1913 Webster ]

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou, therefore, whom thou only canst redeem,
Their nature also to thy nature join,
And be thyself man among men on earth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Hence: Kind, sort; character; quality. [ 1913 Webster ]

A dispute of this nature caused mischief. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Physical constitution or existence; the vital powers; the natural life. “My days of nature.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Oppressed nature sleeps. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Natural affection or reverence. [ 1913 Webster ]

Have we not seen
The murdering son ascend his parent's bed,
Through violated nature force his way? Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Constitution or quality of mind or character. [ 1913 Webster ]

A born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

That reverence which is due to a superior nature. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

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; uncivilized. --
Nature printing, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To endow with natural qualities. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He [ God ] which natureth every kind. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having (such) a nature, temper, or disposition; disposed; -- used in composition; as, good-natured, ill-natured, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not in accordance with nature; unnatural. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ornatura. ] Decoration; ornamentation. [ R. ] Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. (cf. It. signatura, segnatura, Sp. & LL. signatura), from L. signare, signatum. See Sign, v. t. ] 1. A sign, stamp, or mark impressed, as by a seal. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brain, being well furnished with various traces, signatures, and images. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

The natural and indelible signature of God, which human souls . . . are supposed to be stamped with. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Especially, the name of any person, written with his own hand, employed to signify that the writing which precedes accords with his wishes or intentions; a sign manual; an autograph. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Physiol.) An outward mark by which internal characteristics were supposed to be indicated. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some plants bear a very evident signature of their nature and use. Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Old Med.) A resemblance between the external characters of a disease and those of some physical agent, for instance, that existing between the red skin of scarlet fever and a red cloth; -- supposed to indicate this agent in the treatment of the disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mus.) The designation of the key (when not C major, or its relative, A minor) by means of one or more sharps or flats at the beginning of the staff, immediately after the clef, affecting all notes of the same letter throughout the piece or movement. Each minor key has the same signature as its relative major. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Print.) (a) A letter or figure placed at the bottom of the first page of each sheet of a book or pamphlet, as a direction to the binder in arranging and folding the sheets. (b) The printed sheet so marked, or the form from which it is printed; as, to reprint one or more signatures. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Star signatures (as A*, 1*) are the same characters, with the addition of asterisks, used on the first pages of offcuts, as in 12mo sheets. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Pharm.) That part of a prescription which contains the directions to the patient. It is usually prefaced by S or Sig. (an abbreviation for the Latin signa, imperative of signare to sign or mark). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To mark with, or as with, a signature or signatures. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Music) A sign at the beginning of a composition or movement, placed after the key signature, to indicate its time or meter. Also called rhythmical signature. It is in the form of a fraction, of which the denominator indicates the kind of note taken as time unit for the beat, and the numerator, the number of these to the measure. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ Pref. trans- + nature. ] To transfer or transform the nature of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We are transelemented, or transnatured. Jewel. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + nature. ] To change the nature of; to invest with a different or contrary nature. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A right heavenly nature, indeed, as if were unnaturing them, doth so bridle them [ the elements ]. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. un- not + nature. ] The contrary of nature; that which is unnatural. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

So as to be rather unnature, after all, than nature. H. Bushnell. [ 1913 Webster ]