Natural history

Natural history
History His"to*ry, n.; pl. {Histories}. [L. historia, Gr. 'istori`a history, information, inquiry, fr. 'istwr, "istwr, knowing, learned, from the root of ? to know; akin to E. wit. See {Wit}, and cf. {Story}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A learning or knowing by inquiry; the knowledge of facts and events, so obtained; hence, a formal statement of such information; a narrative; a description; a written record; as, the history of a patient's case; the history of a legislative bill. [1913 Webster]

2. A systematic, written account of events, particularly of those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art, and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of their causes; a true story, as distinguished from a romance; -- distinguished also from annals, which relate simply the facts and events of each year, in strict chronological order; from biography, which is the record of an individual's life; and from memoir, which is history composed from personal experience, observation, and memory. [1913 Webster]

Histories are as perfect as the historian is wise, and is gifted with an eye and a soul. --Carlyle. [1913 Webster]

For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

What histories of toil could I declare! --Pope. [1913 Webster]

{History piece}, a representation in painting, drawing, etc., of any real event, including the actors and the action.

{Natural history}, a description and classification of objects in nature, as minerals, plants, animals, etc., and the phenomena which they exhibit to the senses.

Syn: Chronicle; annals; relation; narration.

Usage: {History}, {Chronicle}, {Annals}. History is a methodical record of important events which concern a community of men, usually so arranged as to show the connection of causes and effects, to give an analysis of motive and action etc. A chronicle is a record of such events, conforming to the order of time as its distinctive feature. Annals are a chronicle divided up into separate years. By poetic license annals is sometimes used for history. [1913 Webster]

Justly C[ae]sar scorns the poet's lays; It is to history he trusts for praise. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

No more yet of this; For 't is a chronicle of day by day, Not a relation for a breakfast. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Many glorious examples in the annals of our religion. --Rogers. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Natural History — or (in Latin) Naturalis Historia is the scientific study of plants or animals.Natural History may also refer to:In science and medicine: * Natural History (Pliny) , Naturalis Historia , a 1st century work by Pliny the Elder * Natural History… …   Wikipedia

  • Natural history — Natural Nat u*ral (?; 135), a. [OE. naturel, F. naturel, fr. L. naturalis, fr. natura. See {Nature}.] 1. Fixed or determined by nature; pertaining to the constitution of a thing; belonging to native character; according to nature; essential;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • Natural History — Beschreibung Fachzeitschrift Fachgebiet Naturwissenschaften Sprache Englisch …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • natural history — n [U] the study of plants, animals, and minerals ▪ the Natural History Museum …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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  • Natural history — For other uses, see Natural history (disambiguation). Naturalist redirects here. For other uses, see Naturalist (disambiguation). Tables of natural history, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia Natural history is the scientific research of p …   Wikipedia

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