themselves

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English

Etymology

Morphologically them +‎ -selves.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/, /ðəmˈsɛlvz/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: them‧selves
  • Rhymes: -ɛlvz

Pronoun

themselves (third-person, reflexive of they)

  1. (reflexive pronoun) The reflexive case of they, the third-person plural personal pronoun. The group of people, animals, or objects previously mentioned, as the object of a verb or following a preposition (also used for emphasis).
    (reflexively):
    They’ve hurt themselves.
    (after a preposition):
    They fought among themselves.
    (for emphasis):
    They are going to try climbing Mount Everest themselves.
    • 1918, W B Maxwell, chapter XVI, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
      The preposterous altruism too! [] Resist not evil. It is an insane immolation of self—as bad intrinsically as fakirs stabbing themselves or anchorites warping their spines in caves scarcely large enough for a fair-sized dog.
  2. (reflexive pronoun) The reflexive case of they, the third-person singular personal pronoun. The single person previously mentioned, as the object of a verb or following a preposition (also used for emphasis).
    (reflexively):
    Would whoever stole my phone please make themselves known.
    (after a preposition):
    I don't want anyone to fight among themselves.
    (for emphasis):
    Everyone must do it themselves.

Usage notes

  • Regarding the use of singular themselves (as opposed to themself or e.g. himself), see the usage notes about they, themself, and he, respectively.

Synonyms

Translations

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See also