(a) The creation, universe; the universe as a divine creation; the inherent constitution of the universe, the state of things; also, the universe as a fallen creation in need of divine grace; aboven al ~; aboven ~ riche, more powerful or ample than nature; auctor (king) of ~, God; (b) the elements, stormy weather.

(a) Nature as governed by law; natural law as the norm of human experience and the basis of probability; as an ineluctable force; as a quasi-personified creditor to whom man is indebted; bondes of ~, course of ~, laue(s of ~, proces of ~, werking of ~, etc., natural law(s; ayenes (biside, oute of) ~, abnormal; ayen ~, contrarie unto ~, in opposition to natural law; after ~, normal, according to nature (although superfluous) [quot.: *Chauliac(1) 119a/b]; bi ~, by natural compulsion; of right ~, probably; ~ and resoun, probability and expectation; (b) restorative powers of the body, bodily processes; regulatory processes expelling poison, excess humors, etc., from the body; vital forces, healing powers, powers of growth; state of bodily equilibrium, proportion, health; ability to reproduce; (c) heredity, birth, hereditary circumstance; kinship by blood; the gifts of nature as contrasted to the gifts of grace, fortune, and education; inherited inclination, instinct; (d) nature as a creator of animals, etc.; nature as a purveyor of human physical necessities.

(a) Nature as an embodiment of moral and political principles; right morality; natural affection, parental or filial love; kindeli) laue of ~; natures excitacioun, natural attraction; piete of ~, paternal affection; ayenes ~, immoral; ayen natures laue; after god ~, by right parental practice; gon oute of ~, to deviate from right practice; (b) nature as an aesthetic norm or stylistic pattern.

Temperament, character; state, condition; an inherent quality, attribute, characteristic; also with pl. meaning: attributes, traits: (a) of God; of a pagan god or goddess; of a sin; of death personified; (b) of rational created beings; of man, of mankind; of man as corrupted by the Fall; of an individual; of the human body or soul; of angels; your) ~ of Adam, your) mortal nature; in ~ of the first man, in the condition of Adam; (c) of non-human entities in natural science: of objects, animals, parts of the body, ailments, planets, medicines, etc.; in propre ~, in itself; (d) of a document (as genuine or spurious); of riches; of a field of learning; also, the purpose of a field of learning.

Type, species, sort; family, race; type as classified by color; a species or type as being inherently attractive to other species or types to which it is related by astral influence or other influences [quots.: Scrope Othea 87/21, Norton 1284]; formed natures, compound substances; pure natures & simple, simple substances; natures of mines, types of minerals; mankindeli ~, human beings [see also mankindeli (a)]; mannes ~, the human race; on ~, one family; ~ of houndes, species of hound; ~ of resoun, rational creature.

(a) Physical needs or appetites; hunger; (b) defecation; the urge to defecate [last quot.]; birthen of ~, feces; partie of ~, the anus or rectum; do (the duete of) ~, to defecate; (c) sexual urge; the genitalia [last quot.]; sheden ~, to ejaculate semen; also, of a woman: ejaculate fluid from the clitoris, etc.

Nature personified; also, the goddess Nature.

With reference to speech and writings: (a) a book on natural history; (b) all the facts of a story; (c) manner of speaking, rhetorical manner.