Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Myself

My-self′

,
p
ron.
;
pl.
Ourselves
.
I or me in person; – used for emphasis, my own self or person; as I myself will do it; I have done it myself; – used also instead of me, as the object of the first person of a reflexive verb, without emphasis;
as, I will defend
myself
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Myself

MYSELF'

, pron. A compound of my and self, used after I, to express emphasis, marking emphatically the distinction between the speaker and another person; as, I myself will do it; I have done it myself.
1.
In the objective case, the reciprocal of I. I will defend myself.
2.
It is sometimes used without I, particularly in poetry.
Myself shall mount the rostrum in his favor.

Definition 2024


Myself

Myself

See also: myself

English

Pronoun

Myself

  1. Alternative letter-case form of myself often used when speaking as God or another important figure who is understood from context.

myself

myself

See also: Myself

English

Alternative forms

Pronoun

myself (reflexive case of I)

  1. (reflexive) Me, as direct or indirect object the speaker as the object of a verb or preposition, when the speaker is also the subject. [from 9th c.]
    I taught myself.
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      Thinks I to myself, Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer cottage and if you don't look out there's likely to be some nice, lively dog taking an interest in your underpinning.
  2. Personally, for my part; used in apposition to I, sometimes for simple emphasis and sometimes with implicit exclusion of any others performing the activity described. [from 10th c.]
  3. Me (as the object of a verb or preposition). [from 10th c.]
    • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 36:
      Later I realized that the ignorant man that day was not the chief but myself.
    I feel like myself.
  4. (archaic) I (as the subject of a verb). [from 14th c.]
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, II.8:
      And my selfe have knowen a Gentleman, a chiefe officer of our crowne, that by right and hope of succession (had he lived unto it) was to inherit above fifty thousand crownes a yeere good land [].
    • 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged:
      Myself am confident that an ointment of it is one of the best remedies for a scabby head that is.
  5. (India, Pakistan, nonstandard) my name is...
    Myself John.

Related terms

Usage notes

  • Use where I could be used is mostly poetic or archaic, except with a coordinating conjunction, such as and.
  • Garner's Modern American Usage (2009) reports opposition to the intensifier use, especially where I could be used.
  • AP Stylebook Online (2010) reports opposition to the intensifier use as reflexive pronouns (like myself) should not be used instead of objective pronouns (like me).

Translations

See also

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: certain · sent · keep · #271: myself · morning · money · door