Himself: for the Empathetic

Some of us find politically correct prose to be as welcome as the sound of fingernails scratching across a chalk board. For those who desire to be politically correct, we would recommend pronouns such as "it" (for him or her) and "itself" for (himself or herself) rather than switching back and forth between the two in subsequent chapters of a book, or some other form of avant-guarde innovation. While "it" and "itself" are not particularly elegant, they do the job in a less irritating manner than we have seen elsewhere.

Him*self" (?), pron.

1.

An emphasized form of the third person masculine pronoun; -- used as a subject usually with he; as, he himself will bear the blame; used alone in the predicate, either in the nominative or objective case; as, it is himself who saved himself.

But he himself returned from the quarries. Judges iii. 19.

David hid himself in the field. 1 Sam. xx. 24.

The Lord himself shall give you a sign. Is. vii. 14.

Who gave himself for us, that he might . . . purify unto himself a peculiar people. Titus ii. 14.

With shame remembers, while himself was one Of the same herd, himself the same had done. Denham.

Himself was formerly used instead of itself. See Note under Him.

It comprehendeth in himself all good. Chaucer.

2.

One's true or real character; one's natural temper and disposition; the state of being in one's right or sane mind (after unconsciousness, passion, delirium, or abasement); as, the man has come to himself.

By himself, alone; unaccompanied; apart; sequestered; as, he sits or studies by himself. -- To leave one to himself, to withdraw from him; to let him take his own course.

 

© Webster 1913.


Him*self" (?), Him*selve" (), Him*selv"en (), pron. pl.

Themselves. See Hemself.

[Obs.]

Chaucer.

 

© Webster 1913.

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