ourself en · PRON
Pronunciation
- /wɐˈsɛl/ (Northumbria)
- /(ˌ)aʊə(ɹ)ˈsɛlf/
- /wəˈsɛl/ (Northumbria)
- (US) audio
- /(ˌ)ɑː(ɹ)ˈsɛlf/
Etymology
From Middle English oure-selfe; equivalent to our + -self.
Meanings
-
(first-person, pronoun, proscribed, reflexive, sometimes) The reflexive of the royal or editorial we: myself (as used by one who is a monarch, writer or speaker when referring to oneself as we).
He then offered to guide us down to see for ourself, but one look down that dark hole to the water about 60 feet below completely dampened our speluncean ardor.
1962, Princeton Alumni Weekly, volume 63, page 24:In the present study, we will limit ourself to the simplest of cases.
Without in any way committing ourself upon this point, we have merely to observe, that we are ready to receive sealed offers containing a full specification of age, temper, appearance, and condition[…]
1838, Charles Dickens, Sketches of Young Gentlemen:
-
(first-person, pronoun, proscribed, reflexive, sometimes) The reflexive of the generic we: oneself.
We should love our neighbor as ourself.
-
(colloquial, first-person, form-of, proscribed, reflexive, sometimes) Reflexive of "we" referring to an individual person being addressed, especially a person in the speaker's care.
Well done Timmy! Did we make that model ourself?
Hello Mrs Miggins. Did we manage to wash ourself this morning?
- (first-person, proscribed, qualifier:African-American Vernacular, sometimes) The reflexive of we: ourselves.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| of we | Number=Sing, Reflex=Yes | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Translations (5)
de Uns (reflexive of editorial or royal we) · ro înșine (reflexive of editorial or royal we) · fr nous-même (reflexive of editorial or royal we) · ro însene (reflexive of editorial or royal we) · de uns (reflexive of editorial or royal we)