themselfpron.

Brit.

/ð(ə)mˈsɛlf/, U.S.

/ðəmˈsɛlf/,

/ˌðɛmˈsɛlf/

Forms:

α. early Middle English þeȝȝm sellfenn ( Ormulum), Middle English þaim-self, Middle English þaim self, Middle English þaim-selfe, Middle English þaim selfe, Middle English þaim selff, Middle English þaim-selue, Middle English þaim selue, Middle English þaim seluen, Middle English taim seluin (northern, after s), Middle English þaim seluin, Middle English þaim-selwin, Middle English þame-selefe, Middle English þame-self, Middle English þame-selfe, Middle English þamself, Middle English þam-self, Middle English þam self, Middle English þamselfe, Middle English þam-selfe, Middle English þam selfe, Middle English þam-selfen, Middle English þam selfen, Middle English þam-selue, Middle English þamseluen, Middle English þam-seluen, Middle English þam seluen, Middle English þam-seluin, Middle English þayme-self, Middle English þaymself, Middle English þaym-self, Middle English þaym selfe, Middle English þeim-self, Middle English þemself, Middle English þem-self, Middle English þem self, Middle English þemselfe, Middle English þem-selfe, Middle English þem selfe, Middle English þem selfen, Middle English þemselue, Middle English þem selue, Middle English þemseluen, Middle English þem-seluen, Middle English þem seluen, Middle English þeym-self, Middle English þeym self, Middle English þeym-seluen, Middle English thaimself, Middle English thaim self, Middle English thaim selfe, Middle English thaim selff, Middle English thaim seluen, Middle English thaim selven, Middle English thaims self, Middle English thame self, Middle English thameselfe, Middle English thame-selfe, Middle English thame selfe, Middle English tham self, Middle English thayme-selfe, Middle English thaymself, Middle English thaym-self, Middle English thaym self, Middle English thaym selfe, Middle English thaym-seluen, Middle English theim self, Middle English theimselfe, Middle English theim selven, Middle English themeself, Middle English them selfen, Middle English themselff, Middle English them selff, Middle English themselffe, Middle English themsellffe, Middle English them selue, Middle English them-selue, Middle English them seluen, Middle English themseluen, Middle English themsilf, Middle English them-silf, Middle English them-silfe, Middle English them silfe, Middle English themsilff, Middle English them sylff, Middle English theyme self, Middle English theyme selfe, Middle English theym-self, Middle English theym selff, Middle English theym selue, Middle English theymselve, Middle English theymsilf, Middle English theym-silf, Middle English theymsilfe, Middle English theym silfe, Middle English theym sylf, Middle English 1600s theimself, Middle English 1600s themselve, Middle English–1500s theim selfe, Middle English–1500s them-self, Middle English–1500s them self, Middle English–1500s them-selfe, Middle English–1500s them selfe, Middle English–1500s theymself, Middle English–1500s theym self, Middle English–1500s theymselfe, Middle English–1500s theym-selfe, Middle English–1500s theym selfe, Middle English–1600s themselfe, Middle English– themself, late Middle English them-selffe (in a late copy), late Middle English them selffe (in a late copy), 1500s theim silf, 1500s themselue, 1500s theymsellffe; Scottish pre-1700 þaim selwyn, pre-1700 thaime-self, pre-1700 thaime self, pre-1700 thaim selewyn, pre-1700 thaimself, pre-1700 thaim-self, pre-1700 thaim self, pre-1700 thaim-selfe, pre-1700 thaim selff, pre-1700 thaim selfin, pre-1700 thaim selvyn, pre-1700 thaim-selwyn, pre-1700 thaim selwyn, pre-1700 thame-self, pre-1700 thame self, pre-1700 thameselfe, pre-1700 thame-selfe, pre-1700 thame selfe, pre-1700 thameselff, pre-1700 thame-selff, pre-1700 thame selff, pre-1700 thame selffe, pre-1700 thame-selfine, pre-1700 thame-seluen, pre-1700 thame-selvin, pre-1700 thame selvin, pre-1700 thame selvyn, pre-1700 thameselwyn, pre-1700 thame-selwyn, pre-1700 thame-selwyne, pre-1700 thamself, pre-1700 tham-self, pre-1700 tham self, pre-1700 tham-selfe, pre-1700 thamselff, pre-1700 tham selff, pre-1700 thayme self, pre-1700 thayme selff, pre-1700 thaym self, pre-1700 theme selff, pre-1700 themselfe, pre-1700 themselff, pre-1700 them-selwyne, pre-1700 1700s them self, pre-1700 1800s thameself, pre-1700 1800s themself; Caribbean 1900s– demself, 1900s– them self.

β. Scottish pre-1700 thaim sell, pre-1700 thamesell, pre-1700 thame sell, pre-1700 them sel, pre-1700 1800s themsell, 1700s– themsel, 1800s thaimsel, 1800s thame-sel, 1800s themsel'; Irish English 1800s– themsel (northern).

γ. English regional 1800s– themsen.

Origin: Probably a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymons: 'emself pron., them pron.

Etymology: Probably an alteration of 'emself pron., with substitution of them pron. for the first element. Compare later themselves pron.

Somewhat rare between 16th and 19th centuries. Often considered nonstandard in later use.

I. Reflexive uses.

1. With plural reference: = themselves pron. 5. Now chiefly U.S. nonstandard and Caribbean.

a. As indirect object or as the object of a preposition.

ΚΠ

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 16853 [Farisewisshe follc] droȝhenn mikell godess follc Vt off þe rihhte weȝȝe. Þurrh þatt teȝȝ settenn i þe follc. Settnessess bi þeȝȝm sellfenn.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Ecclus. xxv. 2 The looue of neȝhebores, and man and womman wel to themself consentende.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3455 Til þay had o þam seluen might [Gött. þaim seluen, Fairf. ham-seluen, Trin. Cambr. hem self].

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 16455 (MED) Þai ches þaim-self dampnacion.

1493 in Hist. MSS Comm.: Rep. MSS Corporation of Beverley (1900) 104 in Parl. Papers (Cd. 284) XLVI. 513 That the Drapers shall have a confraternite emong thame self..as other crafts hafe.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxix Hys heyres and successors..by them self, or their deputie should offer a hart of lyke weight and value.

1733 J. Byrom Serious Disswasive Races Kersal Moore (ed. 3) 8 They..by being left to themself, are liable to all the Calamities that can befall them.

1915 Amer. Mag. Mar. 20/2 They begin laughin' at themself whenever they seen a lookin'-glass.

1995 M. Collins Colour of Forgetting 193 They say God watch over those who don't know how to look after themself.

b. As direct object, alone or with complementary adjective, noun phrase, or infinitive clause.

ΚΠ

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) Judges xx. 36 Þe sonys..of Benjamyn when þei haddyn seen þemselue to ben þe neþermore, þei begunnyn to flee.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 801 Þan þai sau þaim seluen bare.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 502 Fayn to mak thaim selwyn fre.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) xxiv. 518 They putte themself so to flighte.

a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Nero) v. l. 3226 Þe Brettownys þan þat wist na rede Til helpe þaim selwyn [a1550 Wemyss thaim selfin] fra þe dede, Sende worde to Rome þar helpe to crayff.

c1550 R. Bieston Bayte Fortune B iv b All men..Enforce them selfe to please him.

1615 Fraserburgh Kirk Session 28 Mar. in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue at Thaim self [They are] demit..so to behaw thamselff that thay giff no occasioune to the cuntray to suspect thame.

a1618 W. Raleigh Life & Death Mahomet (1637) 26 The Mores are the progeny of such Arabians as after their Conquests seated themself in that part of Affrica.

1681 S. Colvil Mock Poem i. 65 Men either must foreswear themself As oft as they turn Coats for Pelf.

1749 Naturalist 32 They might very safely engage themself to maintain their present Opinion.

1785 J. W. Fletcher Appeal Matter of Fact (ed. 4) iii. xix. 100 They frequently break their hearts, or pierce themself through with many sorrows.

1826 Maryland Gaz. & State Reg. 21 Sept. Is an opposition to ‘the powers that be’, to be hereafter considered as infamous, by men calling themself republican.

1849 E. F. Ellet Evenings at Woodlawn iii. 66 If a pair of lovers came, and ventured to seat themself on the green moss by the wayside.

1921 R. Lardner Big Town iv. 154 The gals had yelped themself hoarse and didn't have nothing to say.

1951 J. Jones From Here to Eternity xii. 160 And all of them only tryin to excuse themself.

1995 L. Gunst Born fi' Dead (1996) i. 87 Them nice-up themself for the dance.

2. In anaphoric reference to a singular pronoun or noun. Cf. they pron. 2, them pron. 4.While themself is now most often found in reference to a singular antecedent, evidence for this use is particularly rare between mid-16th and mid-19th centuries.

a. With an antecedent which is grammatically singular, but refers collectively to the members of a group, or has universal reference (e.g. everyone, each person, nobody).Sometimes, but not always, used to avoid having to specify the gender of the individual(s) being referred to; cf. sense 2b.

ΚΠ

c1450 in Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. (1911) 26 170 Euery creature That ys gylty and knowyth thaym-self coulpable.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. l. 502 Thar is nother man na page In all this land than thai sall be Fayn to mak thaim selewyn fre.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) i. 39 Eche of theym sholde..make theymselfe redy.

1533 T. More Apologye 55 b Neyther Tyndale there nor thys precher..hath by theyr maner of expounynge..wonne them self mych wurshyp.

1615 P. Gordon Famous Hist. Bruce vi. sig. I.ii^v In Arms each one them self addrest.

1838 J. H. St. Aubyn Elopement ii. viii. 82 Monsieur est un tyran—is a tyrant, and vil not let you see nobody who shall fling themself at your feet.

1881 Memorandum 30 Apr. in Rep. Supreme Court Nebraska (1912) 90 530 From the signing of this agreement said parties will live separate and apart from each other, and each for themself promises and agrees not to interfere or meddle with the personal actions of the other.

1905 Outlook 24 June 537/2 Every one at breakfast, she added, in an awed voice, ‘had a finger-bowl to themself’.

2007 L. R. Beach Human Elem. iv. 77 Before things began, each person introduced themself.

b. With a generic or indefinite antecedent referring to an individual (e.g. a person, someone, the patient), used esp. so as to make a general reference to such an individual without specifying gender.In the 21st century, sometimes used to refer to a named individual, so as to avoid revealing or making an assumption about that person's gender; see e.g. quot. 2009, and cf. sense 2c.

ΚΠ

1463–5 Rolls of Parl.: Edward IV (Electronic ed.) Parl. Apr. 1463 §38. m. 12 Inheritementes, of which any of the seid persones..was seised by theym self, or joyntly with other.

?1533 tr. Denis the Carthusian Lyfe of Prestes xi. sig. F.ii A man or a woman garnysshynge themself, & by theyr deckyng & trymming prouokyng the eyes of other vpon them..shal suffer eternal ponysshement.

1873 Congregationalist (Boston, Mass.) 5 June 178/5 I didn't know that anybody could harm themself or others by being good.

1946 G. Kanin Born Yesterday iii. 140 If I ever seen somebody outsmart themself, it's you.

1967 P. Nichols Day in Death Joe Egg ii. 47 I don't know whether anyone sees themself as an old-age pensioner.

2009 D. Awl Facebook Me! ii. 15 Facebook used to simply use neutral pronouns for anyone it didn't know the gender of: ‘Dave Awl tagged themself in a photo.’

2017 Huntingdon (Pa.) Daily News 8 Dec. 18/2 One way for a person to give to others and help themself at the same time is to make positive changes to improve their own health.

c. Used to refer to a person whose sense of personal identity does not correspond to conventional sex and gender distinctions, and who has typically asked to be referred to by the pronouns they, them, etc. Cf. sense 3b.

ΚΠ

2011 Daily Bruin 16 Nov. 1/1 Mendez is genderqueer, which the fifth-year Asian American studies student defines for themself as embodying all genders.

2016 Concord Pioneer 16 Dec. 9/3 For..Hartlove, the RCC has been a great source of support and empowerment. They identify themself as ‘gender queer’ choosing not to be identified by the he/she pronoun.

2018 N.Y. Times Online 12 Oct. (Nexis) Mx. Soloway found themself on a panel with the poet, and ended up falling in love.

II. Emphatic uses.

a. In apposition to a personal noun (as subject or object) or to a subjective pronoun: = themselves pron. 1a.

ΚΠ

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) Judges xx. 33 Þe busschementis forsoþe þat abowtyn þe citee weryn litilmelome þem selue begunnyn to openyn.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3708 All þaa þat blisses þe Sal þam-self blessed be.

1474 in C. Rogers Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 200 Lattyn, oure landis of Tulyfergus..as tha war diuidit pairtit and merchit be the tenandis tham self.

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xxx. 422 Thare neghburs thai demyd, Thaymself as it semyd.

1533 T. More Apologye 7 b They se full well them selfe, that they saye not trew.

1649 R. B. G. Rev. of Dr. Bramble his Fair Warning iii. 24 in Three Treat. Sc. Discipline (1661) The Churches just severity against Montgomery and Adamson was approven by the King and the parties themselfe.

1681 S. Colvil Mock Poem i. 54 Having, for love of Worldly Pelf First taken contrair Oaths themself.

1728 W. Mitchel Last & Dying Words Tinclarian Doctor 136 Who would not enter in themself, and them that would, they hinder.

1863 J. Crowther Decisions Supreme Court Ceylon: Appeals 27 So far as the clauses themself of the New Ordinance go..there is nothing to justify levying the toll.

1922 E. Ferber Gigolo 137 She's a good girl, Lyddy is..an' shrewder than the lawyers themself.

2008 J. Kelman Kieron Smith, Boy (2009) 246 They went to the pub themself or else had a carry-out.

b. Used in apposition to a singular noun or pronoun (e.g. the person themself), typically to avoid specifying the gender of the individual being referred to; cf. sense 2b. Later also: used in apposition to a proper noun or pronoun referring to a person whose sense of personal identity does not correspond to conventional sex and gender distinctions; cf. sense 2c.rare before later 20th century.

ΚΠ

1893 Railway Conductor May 194/2 Is this the only bad result [sc. of wrong thinking]? Is there no harm to the person themself, even if it is never carried to the extreme end?

1978 S. J. Kessler & W. McKenna Gender App. 178 The person themself must feel pretty awkward.

1997 Independent on Sunday 21 Dec. i. 6/4 Every six to eight weeks a man or a woman—usually a man—kills their partner or their children and them themself.

2005 B. Flaws & P. Sionneau Treatm. Mod. Western Medical Diseases Chinese Medicine Intro. 5/1 Mostly reported by the patient themself or their close family members.

2018 observer.case.edu 2 Mar. (accessed 20 Sept. 2019) Retting themself identifies as gender non-binary.

†4. Used instead of the objective pronoun them as the object of a preposition or verb: = themselves pron. 3. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) 2 Chron. xx. 22 Þe lord turnede þe busshementes of hem in to þemself.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xiii. 234 Ane of them-selwyne that wes thar Capitane of thame all thai maid.

a1500 tr. Lady Prioress in J. O. Halliwell Select. Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1840) 108 But yt move of themselfe, for sothe they thynke yt ryghte nowghte.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 27 To selle and to se as þaim selfe lyked.

1682 W. Evats tr. H. Grotius Rights War & Peace viii. 193 He..furnishes us with a Dart against themself.

†5. Used instead of the subjective pronoun; = themselves pron. 2a. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1425 (?c1375) N. Homily Legendary (Harl.) in C. Horstmann Altengl. Legenden (1881) 2nd Ser. 61 (MED) Bot I may neuer no-man spill With syn, bot if þam-seluin will.

1512 R. Copland tr. Knyght of Swanne vi. sig. B.iiii She was betrayed of them whiche made maner to..haue compassyon..of thyniuryes that themself had made.

1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. Rom. xiiii. f. xxxviii Vnlearned people..whiche thinke nothing rightful but that them selfe do.

c1862 E. Dickinson Poems (1955) II. 471 Could themself have peeped—And seen my brain—go round.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	themself
释义	themselfpron. Brit. /ð(ə)mˈsɛlf/, U.S. /ðəmˈsɛlf/, /ˌðɛmˈsɛlf/ Forms: α. early Middle English þeȝȝm sellfenn ( Ormulum), Middle English þaim-self, Middle English þaim self, Middle English þaim-selfe, Middle English þaim selfe, Middle English þaim selff, Middle English þaim-selue, Middle English þaim selue, Middle English þaim seluen, Middle English taim seluin (northern, after s), Middle English þaim seluin, Middle English þaim-selwin, Middle English þame-selefe, Middle English þame-self, Middle English þame-selfe, Middle English þamself, Middle English þam-self, Middle English þam self, Middle English þamselfe, Middle English þam-selfe, Middle English þam selfe, Middle English þam-selfen, Middle English þam selfen, Middle English þam-selue, Middle English þamseluen, Middle English þam-seluen, Middle English þam seluen, Middle English þam-seluin, Middle English þayme-self, Middle English þaymself, Middle English þaym-self, Middle English þaym selfe, Middle English þeim-self, Middle English þemself, Middle English þem-self, Middle English þem self, Middle English þemselfe, Middle English þem-selfe, Middle English þem selfe, Middle English þem selfen, Middle English þemselue, Middle English þem selue, Middle English þemseluen, Middle English þem-seluen, Middle English þem seluen, Middle English þeym-self, Middle English þeym self, Middle English þeym-seluen, Middle English thaimself, Middle English thaim self, Middle English thaim selfe, Middle English thaim selff, Middle English thaim seluen, Middle English thaim selven, Middle English thaims self, Middle English thame self, Middle English thameselfe, Middle English thame-selfe, Middle English thame selfe, Middle English tham self, Middle English thayme-selfe, Middle English thaymself, Middle English thaym-self, Middle English thaym self, Middle English thaym selfe, Middle English thaym-seluen, Middle English theim self, Middle English theimselfe, Middle English theim selven, Middle English themeself, Middle English them selfen, Middle English themselff, Middle English them selff, Middle English themselffe, Middle English themsellffe, Middle English them selue, Middle English them-selue, Middle English them seluen, Middle English themseluen, Middle English themsilf, Middle English them-silf, Middle English them-silfe, Middle English them silfe, Middle English themsilff, Middle English them sylff, Middle English theyme self, Middle English theyme selfe, Middle English theym-self, Middle English theym selff, Middle English theym selue, Middle English theymselve, Middle English theymsilf, Middle English theym-silf, Middle English theymsilfe, Middle English theym silfe, Middle English theym sylf, Middle English 1600s theimself, Middle English 1600s themselve, Middle English–1500s theim selfe, Middle English–1500s them-self, Middle English–1500s them self, Middle English–1500s them-selfe, Middle English–1500s them selfe, Middle English–1500s theymself, Middle English–1500s theym self, Middle English–1500s theymselfe, Middle English–1500s theym-selfe, Middle English–1500s theym selfe, Middle English–1600s themselfe, Middle English– themself, late Middle English them-selffe (in a late copy), late Middle English them selffe (in a late copy), 1500s theim silf, 1500s themselue, 1500s theymsellffe; Scottish pre-1700 þaim selwyn, pre-1700 thaime-self, pre-1700 thaime self, pre-1700 thaim selewyn, pre-1700 thaimself, pre-1700 thaim-self, pre-1700 thaim self, pre-1700 thaim-selfe, pre-1700 thaim selff, pre-1700 thaim selfin, pre-1700 thaim selvyn, pre-1700 thaim-selwyn, pre-1700 thaim selwyn, pre-1700 thame-self, pre-1700 thame self, pre-1700 thameselfe, pre-1700 thame-selfe, pre-1700 thame selfe, pre-1700 thameselff, pre-1700 thame-selff, pre-1700 thame selff, pre-1700 thame selffe, pre-1700 thame-selfine, pre-1700 thame-seluen, pre-1700 thame-selvin, pre-1700 thame selvin, pre-1700 thame selvyn, pre-1700 thameselwyn, pre-1700 thame-selwyn, pre-1700 thame-selwyne, pre-1700 thamself, pre-1700 tham-self, pre-1700 tham self, pre-1700 tham-selfe, pre-1700 thamselff, pre-1700 tham selff, pre-1700 thayme self, pre-1700 thayme selff, pre-1700 thaym self, pre-1700 theme selff, pre-1700 themselfe, pre-1700 themselff, pre-1700 them-selwyne, pre-1700 1700s them self, pre-1700 1800s thameself, pre-1700 1800s themself; Caribbean 1900s– demself, 1900s– them self. β. Scottish pre-1700 thaim sell, pre-1700 thamesell, pre-1700 thame sell, pre-1700 them sel, pre-1700 1800s themsell, 1700s– themsel, 1800s thaimsel, 1800s thame-sel, 1800s themsel'; Irish English 1800s– themsel (northern). γ. English regional 1800s– themsen. Origin: Probably a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymons: 'emself pron., them pron. Etymology: Probably an alteration of 'emself pron., with substitution of them pron. for the first element. Compare later themselves pron. Somewhat rare between 16th and 19th centuries. Often considered nonstandard in later use. I. Reflexive uses. 1. With plural reference: = themselves pron. 5. Now chiefly U.S. nonstandard and Caribbean. a. As indirect object or as the object of a preposition. ΚΠ c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 16853 [Farisewisshe follc] droȝhenn mikell godess follc Vt off þe rihhte weȝȝe. Þurrh þatt teȝȝ settenn i þe follc. Settnessess bi þeȝȝm sellfenn. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Ecclus. xxv. 2 The looue of neȝhebores, and man and womman wel to themself consentende. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3455 Til þay had o þam seluen might [Gött. þaim seluen, Fairf. ham-seluen, Trin. Cambr. hem self]. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 16455 (MED) Þai ches þaim-self dampnacion. 1493 in Hist. MSS Comm.: Rep. MSS Corporation of Beverley (1900) 104 in Parl. Papers (Cd. 284) XLVI. 513 That the Drapers shall have a confraternite emong thame self..as other crafts hafe. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxix Hys heyres and successors..by them self, or their deputie should offer a hart of lyke weight and value. 1733 J. Byrom Serious Disswasive Races Kersal Moore (ed. 3) 8 They..by being left to themself, are liable to all the Calamities that can befall them. 1915 Amer. Mag. Mar. 20/2 They begin laughin' at themself whenever they seen a lookin'-glass. 1995 M. Collins Colour of Forgetting 193 They say God watch over those who don't know how to look after themself. b. As direct object, alone or with complementary adjective, noun phrase, or infinitive clause. ΚΠ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) Judges xx. 36 Þe sonys..of Benjamyn when þei haddyn seen þemselue to ben þe neþermore, þei begunnyn to flee. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 801 Þan þai sau þaim seluen bare. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 502 Fayn to mak thaim selwyn fre. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) xxiv. 518 They putte themself so to flighte. a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Nero) v. l. 3226 Þe Brettownys þan þat wist na rede Til helpe þaim selwyn [a1550 Wemyss thaim selfin] fra þe dede, Sende worde to Rome þar helpe to crayff. c1550 R. Bieston Bayte Fortune B iv b All men..Enforce them selfe to please him. 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk Session 28 Mar. in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue at Thaim self [They are] demit..so to behaw thamselff that thay giff no occasioune to the cuntray to suspect thame. a1618 W. Raleigh Life & Death Mahomet (1637) 26 The Mores are the progeny of such Arabians as after their Conquests seated themself in that part of Affrica. 1681 S. Colvil Mock Poem i. 65 Men either must foreswear themself As oft as they turn Coats for Pelf. 1749 Naturalist 32 They might very safely engage themself to maintain their present Opinion. 1785 J. W. Fletcher Appeal Matter of Fact (ed. 4) iii. xix. 100 They frequently break their hearts, or pierce themself through with many sorrows. 1826 Maryland Gaz. & State Reg. 21 Sept. Is an opposition to ‘the powers that be’, to be hereafter considered as infamous, by men calling themself republican. 1849 E. F. Ellet Evenings at Woodlawn iii. 66 If a pair of lovers came, and ventured to seat themself on the green moss by the wayside. 1921 R. Lardner Big Town iv. 154 The gals had yelped themself hoarse and didn't have nothing to say. 1951 J. Jones From Here to Eternity xii. 160 And all of them only tryin to excuse themself. 1995 L. Gunst Born fi' Dead (1996) i. 87 Them nice-up themself for the dance. 2. In anaphoric reference to a singular pronoun or noun. Cf. they pron. 2, them pron. 4.While themself is now most often found in reference to a singular antecedent, evidence for this use is particularly rare between mid-16th and mid-19th centuries. a. With an antecedent which is grammatically singular, but refers collectively to the members of a group, or has universal reference (e.g. everyone, each person, nobody).Sometimes, but not always, used to avoid having to specify the gender of the individual(s) being referred to; cf. sense 2b. ΚΠ c1450 in Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. (1911) 26 170 Euery creature That ys gylty and knowyth thaym-self coulpable. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. l. 502 Thar is nother man na page In all this land than thai sall be Fayn to mak thaim selewyn fre. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) i. 39 Eche of theym sholde..make theymselfe redy. 1533 T. More Apologye 55 b Neyther Tyndale there nor thys precher..hath by theyr maner of expounynge..wonne them self mych wurshyp. 1615 P. Gordon Famous Hist. Bruce vi. sig. I.ii^v In Arms each one them self addrest. 1838 J. H. St. Aubyn Elopement ii. viii. 82 Monsieur est un tyran—is a tyrant, and vil not let you see nobody who shall fling themself at your feet. 1881 Memorandum 30 Apr. in Rep. Supreme Court Nebraska (1912) 90 530 From the signing of this agreement said parties will live separate and apart from each other, and each for themself promises and agrees not to interfere or meddle with the personal actions of the other. 1905 Outlook 24 June 537/2 Every one at breakfast, she added, in an awed voice, ‘had a finger-bowl to themself’. 2007 L. R. Beach Human Elem. iv. 77 Before things began, each person introduced themself. b. With a generic or indefinite antecedent referring to an individual (e.g. a person, someone, the patient), used esp. so as to make a general reference to such an individual without specifying gender.In the 21st century, sometimes used to refer to a named individual, so as to avoid revealing or making an assumption about that person's gender; see e.g. quot. 2009, and cf. sense 2c. ΚΠ 1463–5 Rolls of Parl.: Edward IV (Electronic ed.) Parl. Apr. 1463 §38. m. 12 Inheritementes, of which any of the seid persones..was seised by theym self, or joyntly with other. ?1533 tr. Denis the Carthusian Lyfe of Prestes xi. sig. F.ii A man or a woman garnysshynge themself, & by theyr deckyng & trymming prouokyng the eyes of other vpon them..shal suffer eternal ponysshement. 1873 Congregationalist (Boston, Mass.) 5 June 178/5 I didn't know that anybody could harm themself or others by being good. 1946 G. Kanin Born Yesterday iii. 140 If I ever seen somebody outsmart themself, it's you. 1967 P. Nichols Day in Death Joe Egg ii. 47 I don't know whether anyone sees themself as an old-age pensioner. 2009 D. Awl Facebook Me! ii. 15 Facebook used to simply use neutral pronouns for anyone it didn't know the gender of: ‘Dave Awl tagged themself in a photo.’ 2017 Huntingdon (Pa.) Daily News 8 Dec. 18/2 One way for a person to give to others and help themself at the same time is to make positive changes to improve their own health. c. Used to refer to a person whose sense of personal identity does not correspond to conventional sex and gender distinctions, and who has typically asked to be referred to by the pronouns they, them, etc. Cf. sense 3b. ΚΠ 2011 Daily Bruin 16 Nov. 1/1 Mendez is genderqueer, which the fifth-year Asian American studies student defines for themself as embodying all genders. 2016 Concord Pioneer 16 Dec. 9/3 For..Hartlove, the RCC has been a great source of support and empowerment. They identify themself as ‘gender queer’ choosing not to be identified by the he/she pronoun. 2018 N.Y. Times Online 12 Oct. (Nexis) Mx. Soloway found themself on a panel with the poet, and ended up falling in love. II. Emphatic uses. 3. a. In apposition to a personal noun (as subject or object) or to a subjective pronoun: = themselves pron. 1a. ΚΠ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) Judges xx. 33 Þe busschementis forsoþe þat abowtyn þe citee weryn litilmelome þem selue begunnyn to openyn. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3708 All þaa þat blisses þe Sal þam-self blessed be. 1474 in C. Rogers Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 200 Lattyn, oure landis of Tulyfergus..as tha war diuidit pairtit and merchit be the tenandis tham self. a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xxx. 422 Thare neghburs thai demyd, Thaymself as it semyd. 1533 T. More Apologye 7 b They se full well them selfe, that they saye not trew. 1649 R. B. G. Rev. of Dr. Bramble his Fair Warning iii. 24 in Three Treat. Sc. Discipline (1661) The Churches just severity against Montgomery and Adamson was approven by the King and the parties themselfe. 1681 S. Colvil Mock Poem i. 54 Having, for love of Worldly Pelf First taken contrair Oaths themself. 1728 W. Mitchel Last & Dying Words Tinclarian Doctor 136 Who would not enter in themself, and them that would, they hinder. 1863 J. Crowther Decisions Supreme Court Ceylon: Appeals 27 So far as the clauses themself of the New Ordinance go..there is nothing to justify levying the toll. 1922 E. Ferber Gigolo 137 She's a good girl, Lyddy is..an' shrewder than the lawyers themself. 2008 J. Kelman Kieron Smith, Boy (2009) 246 They went to the pub themself or else had a carry-out. b. Used in apposition to a singular noun or pronoun (e.g. the person themself), typically to avoid specifying the gender of the individual being referred to; cf. sense 2b. Later also: used in apposition to a proper noun or pronoun referring to a person whose sense of personal identity does not correspond to conventional sex and gender distinctions; cf. sense 2c.rare before later 20th century. ΚΠ 1893 Railway Conductor May 194/2 Is this the only bad result [sc. of wrong thinking]? Is there no harm to the person themself, even if it is never carried to the extreme end? 1978 S. J. Kessler & W. McKenna Gender App. 178 The person themself must feel pretty awkward. 1997 Independent on Sunday 21 Dec. i. 6/4 Every six to eight weeks a man or a woman—usually a man—kills their partner or their children and them themself. 2005 B. Flaws & P. Sionneau Treatm. Mod. Western Medical Diseases Chinese Medicine Intro. 5/1 Mostly reported by the patient themself or their close family members. 2018 observer.case.edu 2 Mar. (accessed 20 Sept. 2019) Retting themself identifies as gender non-binary. †4. Used instead of the objective pronoun them as the object of a preposition or verb: = themselves pron. 3. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) 2 Chron. xx. 22 Þe lord turnede þe busshementes of hem in to þemself. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xiii. 234 Ane of them-selwyne that wes thar Capitane of thame all thai maid. a1500 tr. Lady Prioress in J. O. Halliwell Select. Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1840) 108 But yt move of themselfe, for sothe they thynke yt ryghte nowghte. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 27 To selle and to se as þaim selfe lyked. 1682 W. Evats tr. H. Grotius Rights War & Peace viii. 193 He..furnishes us with a Dart against themself. †5. Used instead of the subjective pronoun; = themselves pron. 2a. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1425 (?c1375) N. Homily Legendary (Harl.) in C. Horstmann Altengl. Legenden (1881) 2nd Ser. 61 (MED) Bot I may neuer no-man spill With syn, bot if þam-seluin will. 1512 R. Copland tr. Knyght of Swanne vi. sig. B.iiii She was betrayed of them whiche made maner to..haue compassyon..of thyniuryes that themself had made. 1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. Rom. xiiii. f. xxxviii Vnlearned people..whiche thinke nothing rightful but that them selfe do. c1862 E. Dickinson Poems (1955) II. 471 Could themself have peeped—And seen my brain—go round. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < pron.c1175
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