natural object

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Noun

natural object - an object occurring naturally; not made by man

whole, unit - an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity; "how big is that part compared to the whole?"; "the team is a unit"

cocoon - silky envelope spun by the larvae of many insects to protect pupas and by spiders to protect eggs

body, organic structure, physical structure - the entire structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being); "he felt as if his whole body were on fire"

dead body, body - a natural object consisting of a dead animal or person; "they found the body in the lake"

asterism - (astronomy) a cluster of stars (or a small constellation)

black body, blackbody, full radiator - a hypothetical object capable of absorbing all the electromagnetic radiation falling on it; "a black body maintained at a constant temperature is a full radiator at that temperature because the radiation reaching and leaving it must be in equilibrium"

body - an individual 3-dimensional object that has mass and that is distinguishable from other objects; "heavenly body"

carpet - a natural object that resembles or suggests a carpet; "a carpet of flowers"; "the larvae of some moths spin a web that resembles a carpet"

celestial body, heavenly body - natural objects visible in the sky

consolidation - something that has consolidated into a compact mass; "he dropped the consolidation into the acid bath"

constellation - a configuration of stars as seen from the earth

covering, natural covering, cover - a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover"

estraterrestrial body, extraterrestrial object - a natural object existing outside the earth and outside the earth's atmosphere

mechanism - a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function; "the mechanism of the ear"; "the mechanism of infection"

nest - a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

radiator - any object that radiates energy

rock, stone - a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter; "he threw a rock at me"

sample - all or part of a natural object that is collected and preserved as an example of its class

tangle - a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven; "they carved their way through the tangle of vines"

cosmos, macrocosm, universe, world, existence, creation - everything that exists anywhere; "they study the evolution of the universe"; "the biggest tree in existence"

plant part, plant structure - any part of a plant or fungus

artefact, artifact - a man-made object taken as a whole

References in classic literature ?

It seems as if the day was not wholly profane in which we have given heed to some natural object. The fall of snowflakes in a still air, preserving to each crystal its perfect form; the blowing of sleet over a wide sheet of water, and over plains; the waving ryefield; the mimic waving of acres of houstonia, whose innumerable florets whiten and ripple before the eye; the reflections of trees and flowers in glassy lakes; the musical steaming odorous south wind, which converts all trees to windharps; the crackling and spurting of hemlock in the flames, or of pine logs, which yield glory to the walls and faces in the sittingroom,--these are the music and pictures of the most ancient religion.

The cool disengaged air of natural objects makes them enviable to us, chafed and irritable creatures with red faces, and we think we shall be as grand as they if we camp out and eat roots; but let us be men instead of woodchucks and the oak and the elm shall gladly serve us, though we sit in chairs of ivory on carpets of silk.

Hence the virtue and pungency of the influence on the mind of natural objects, whether inorganic or organized.

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Yet I experienced sometimes that the most sweet and tender, the most innocent and encouraging society may be found in any natural object, even for the poor misanthrope and most melancholy man.

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That sense of a life in natural objects, which in most poetry is but a rhetorical artifice, was, then, in Wordsworth the assertion of what was for him almost literal fact.

[100] When he thought of men and women, it was of men and women as in the presence and under the influence of those effective natural objects, and linked to them by many associations.

And, seeing man thus as a part of nature, elevated and solemnized in proportion as his daily life and occupations brought him into companionship with permanent natural objects, he was able to appreciate passion in the lowly.

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Farebrother was a bachelor, he had thought of being ushered into a snuggery where the chief furniture would probably be books and collections of natural objects. The Vicar himself seemed to wear rather a changed aspect, as most men do when acquaintances made elsewhere see them for the first time in their own homes; some indeed showing like an actor of genial parts disadvantageously cast for the curmudgeon in a new piece.

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For the truth was in us before it was reflected to us from natural objects; and the profound genius will cast the likeness of all creatures into every product of his wit.

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But they were not in a situation to suffer their thoughts to dwell on the charms of natural objects; and, as the scout had not found it necessary to cease his culinary labors while he spoke, unless to point out, with a broken fork, the direction of some particularly obnoxious point in the rebellious stream, they now suffered their attention to be drawn to the necessary though more vulgar consideration of their supper.

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I was forced to fall back upon the unsatisfactory conclusion, that while, beyond doubt, there are combinations of very simple natural objects which have the power of thus affecting us, still the analysis of this power lies among considerations beyond our depth.

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It was a new phase of his character to me, for I had never before seen him show any keen interest in natural objects.

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