English Reference

Word

nat

Phoneticsnat

/ˈnæt/

Definitions

01computer networking

B2 · Computing

n. Stands for Network Address Translation. It is a way for a router to share one internet connection with many devices.

n. Abbreviation for Network Address Translation. A method of remapping one IP address space into another by modifying network address information in the IP header of packets.

“If your NAT is set to strict, you might have trouble connecting to other players online.”

“The administrator configured the NAT on the perimeter router to allow multiple internal hosts to access the internet using a single public IP address.”

Technical

Usage

Usually used as an uncountable noun or as a modifier before another noun like 'firewall' or 'type'.

Synonyms

IP mapping

03political party member

C1

n. a member or supporter of a National Party, such as in Scotland, Australia, or New Zealand.

n. a member or supporter of a political party with 'National' in its name, particularly in Commonwealth countries.

“The local Nats are campaigning hard before the upcoming election.”

“Political commentators noted that the Nats were losing ground in rural electorates where they had traditionally held a comfortable majority.”

Informal · British English · Dialect

Teaching tip

This term is highly regional and informal; it is most common in Scotland (referring to the SNP) or New Zealand.

Synonyms

04gaming/dice rolls

C1

adj. the number shown on a die before you add any extra points or bonuses.

adj. a clipping of 'natural'; refers to the raw number rolled on a die before modifiers are applied.

“I rolled a nat 20, so my character automatically succeeded at the task.”

“The game master ruled that only a nat 20 would be sufficient to bypass the dragon's high defensive rating.”

Slang · Informal

Usage

Almost always followed by a number, such as 'nat 1' or 'nat 20'.

Synonyms

rawunmodified

Antonyms

Domains

AviationEducationMythologyNetworkingPolitics

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

English Reference