myself
American Heritage Dictionary:
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my·self
(mī-sĕlf') 
pron.
pron.
- That one identical with me.
- Used reflexively as the direct or indirect object of a verb or as the object of a preposition: I bought myself a new car.
- Used for emphasis: I myself was certain of the facts.
- Used in an absolute construction: In office myself, I helped her get a job.
- My normal or healthy condition or state: I'm feeling myself again.
[Middle English mi-self, from Old English mē selfum, mē selfne : mē, me + selfum, selfne, dative and accusative of self, self; see self.]
USAGE NOTE The -self pronouns, such as myself, yourselves, and herself, are sometimes used as emphatic substitutes for personal pronouns, as in Like yourself, I have no apologies to make. The practice is particularly common in compound phrases: Ms. Evans or yourself will have to pick them up at the airport. Although these usages have been common in the writing of reputable authors for several centuries, they may sound overwrought. A large majority of the Usage Panel disapproves of the use of -self pronouns when they do not refer to the subject of the sentence. Seventy-three percent reject the sentence He was an enthusiastic fisherman like myself. Sixty-seven percent object to The letters were written entirely by myself. The Panel is even less tolerant of compound usages. Eighty-eight percent find this sentence unacceptable: The boss asked John and myself to give a brief presentation.
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has two main roles: (1) as a reflexive pronoun in which the object of the action is the same as the speaker (I managed to restrain myself / I was put in a room by myself), (2) as an emphatic pronoun reinforcing the simple pronoun I (I began to feel guilty myself). It should not be used as the subject of a verb, although this is sometimes found especially in compound subjects joined by and:
☒ It wasn't that Peter and myself [read: Peter and I] were being singled out—Fay Weldon, 1988.
☒ My husband, son, and myself [read: my husband, my son, and I] went on our holiday as planned—Daily Mail, 1998.Nor should it be used as the object of a verb when the action is not reflexive and me would do as well: ☒ Palme Dutt's nervousness communicated itself to Isaac and myself [read:
to Isaac and me]—Nigel Williams, 1985.
| myriad, mutual, mute e | |
| ménage, mésalliance, naff |
Word Tutor:
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myself
IN BRIEF: Used to intensify "I"; Used reflexively as a form of "me".
I must be myself
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Sign Language Videos:
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myself
sign description: The A-handshape faced toward the chest taps the chest.
Translations:
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Myself
Dansk (Danish)
pron. - selv, mig selv
idioms:
- by myself alene
Nederlands (Dutch)
mij, mezelf
Français (French)
pron. - me, moi-même, moi personnellement, je
idioms:
- by myself tout seul
Deutsch (German)
pron. - selbst, mich, mir
idioms:
- by myself selbst, alleine
Ελληνική (Greek)
pron. - εγώ (ο ίδιος), ο εαυτός μου, εμένα τον ίδιο
idioms:
- by myself (από) μόνος μου
- by myself da solo
Português (Portuguese)
pron. - eu mesmo
idioms:
- by myself por mim próprio
Русский (Russian)
себя, себе, собой, сам, сама, само
idioms:
- by myself я сам
Español (Spanish)
pron. - yo mismo
idioms:
- by myself solo, sin ayuda
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
我自己, 我本人, 我亲自
idioms:
- by myself 自己, 独自
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
pron. - 我自己, 我本人, 我親自
idioms:
- by myself 自己, 獨自
한국어 (Korean)
pron. - 나 자신, 나 스스로
idioms:
- by myself 나 혼자서
日本語 (Japanese)
pron. - 自分自身を, 私
idioms:
- by myself 独力で
العربيه (Arabic)
(ضمير) نفسي
עברית (Hebrew)
pron. - עצמי, לעצמי, בעצמי, את עצמי, אני
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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