A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Note:
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase natural born person—(also: natural born citizen) a per-
son born in the country and having the legal status of citizen:
You are a natural born person, and unless you specifically enter
into a contract with the state — then you have pre-existing
natural rights.
natural to someone • natural with someone
natural to someone —(of behavior, etc.) being in accordance
with a person’s habits or character: He spoke with a stiff man-
ner that was not natural to him.
natural with someone —
1
. = natural to someone: This feeling
was not natural with him. It was probably only due to some
derangement of his own health. 2. behaving in a simple, easy
manner towards smb.: Mary is caring and compassionate. She
was natural with both Kessia and Joshua, and gained their
trust instantly.
nearest thing, the • very near thing, a
nearest thing, the —said of smth. that is very much like a
par ticular type of thing: Soho is the nearest thing in Central
London to a red light district.
very near thing, a —
1
. a dangerous situation that a person
just manages to avoid: The list of what could have gone badly
wrong is a long one. It was certainly a very near thing. 2. said
of an election, competition, etc. barely won because of almost
equal chances of the contenders: “Do you think he’s going to
get in?” “It’ll be a very near thing because the opposition will
be so strong.”
neck and crop • neck and neck
neck and crop —completely; altogether: An unexpected
episode caused me to be ejected neck and crop from my club.
neck and neck —keeping level in a race, competition, etc.:
The Soviet World and the Free World were running neck and
neck in the training of scientists.