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yourself

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pronoun

/jə(r)ˈself/

plural

yourselves

Yourself and yourselves are reflexive pronouns, being the reflexive forms of you. They can be used in the following ways:

as an object that refers to the person or people who are the subject of the sentence or who are mentioned somewhere earlier in the sentence: Are you bringing the children up by yourself? ♦ You have to have some respect for yourself. ♦ Did he give you a picture of yourself?

as an object of verbs in the imperative form: Take care of yourselves. ♦ Enjoy yourselves.

after 'you' for emphasis: Only you yourself can be sure. ♦ You can bake the pie yourself.

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Related dictionary definitions

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1
used for showing that the person or people you are talking or writing to are affected by or involved in an action that they do
Remember you're not just representing yourself but the whole school.
That's something you will have to work out for yourself.
Don't make a fool of yourself.
Did you hurt yourself?
You should consider yourselves very fortunate that no one was hurt.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself
2
used for referring back to the person or people who you are talking or writing to when they have already been mentioned in the sentence
I'll give you a little time to get yourself comfortable.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself
3
used with 'you' for emphasizing that you mean the person or people who you are talking or writing to and no one else
Ask how you yourself would like to be treated in a similar situation.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself
1. a.
  used for emphasizing that the person or people who you are talking or writing to must do something without help from anyone else
  You'll have to fill out the forms yourselves.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself
4
used instead of 'you' in order to be formal or polite, although many people feel this is incorrect
Someone like yourself would be a suitable buyer for the property.
My lawyer will be referring the matter to yourselves.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself

phrases

(all) by yourself
1. 1
  without help from anyone else
  Did you paint the room all by yourself?
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself
2. 2
  alone
  I'm sure you like to be by yourself sometimes.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself
(all) to yourself
for you alone and no one else
You have the house to yourself until five o'clock.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself
be/feel/look etc yourself
to be or appear to be in your normal mental or physical state
Take a rest – you're not quite yourself today.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of yourself

This is the British English definition of yourself. View American English definition of yourself.

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View the pronunciation for yourself.

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