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self(1) (iou)



self pronoun, adjective, & noun. , in sense B.7 selfs.

A. pronoun & adjective.
I. emphatic.
In apposition to a noun or pronoun: that particular or those particular person(s), animal(s), or thing(s), the person(s) etc. in question; herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, or themselves. Long arch. OE.
Own, peculiar. OE-M17.
Shakespeare Macbeth His fiend-like queen, Who..by self and violent hands Took off her life.
(Not appositional.) He or him himself, I or me myself, it itself, she or her herself, we or us ourselves, you yourself, you yourselves, they or them themselves. Now chiefly in commercial use (spec. written on a cheque or counterfoil) & colloq. OE.
P. G. Wodehouse Four of usCharlotte, self, the old man, and Comrade Butt. G. Heyer He drew a cheque for a hundred pounds to self.
II. adjective.
= SAME adjective. OE-M17.
a. Of a colour: the same throughout, uniform. M16.
b. Of a uniform colour, self-coloured. Also, (of a flower) of the natural wild colour. M19.
Mining. Of a rock etc.: detached, of material different from its surroundings. M18-M19.
Archery. Of a bow: made all of one piece. E19.
Of the trimming of a garment: of the same material as the garment itself. E20.
b. noun.
The same person or thing. OE-M16.
a. Preceded by a possess. pronoun, forming a comb. or phr. serving as a reflexive or an emphatic personal pronoun (see HERSELF, HIS-SELF, MYSELF, ONESELF, OURSELVES, THEIRSELVES, THYSELF, YOURSELF, etc.). Also qualified by an emphasizing or descriptive adjective. ME.
J. Conrad He..suddenly beheld his very own self. M. Na Gopaleen More authentic sources known only to my little self.
b. Preceded by a noun in the possess.: (the specified noun), herself, himself, itself, themselves. arch. ME.
Carlyle Were it not better you, your Majesty's self, took the children?
a. Any of various conflicting personalities conceived of as coexisting within a single person. L16.
one's better self the better part of one's nature.
S. Brett His logical self knew how insubstantial such satisfactions were. A. Tyler When she's in costume it's not she who's going out...Her real self is safe at home.
b. A person's or thing's individuality or essence at a particular time or in a particular aspect or relation; a person's nature, character, or (occas.) physical constitution or appearance, considered as different at different times. Chiefly with qualifying adjective L17.
P. Ackroyd She seemed quite chatty and more..her old self.
A person loved as oneself, a counterpart of oneself, an alter ego. obsolete exc. in second self s.v. SECOND adjective. E17.
True or intrinsic identity; personal identity, ego; a person as the object of introspection or reflexive action. L17.
A. J. Ayer That which is supposed to survive..is not the empirical self, but..the soul. P. Tillich Aware of the complete loss of self which biological extinction implies.
One's personal welfare and interests as an object of concern; concentration on these, selfishness. L17.
George Eliot She's better than I amthere's less o' self in her, and pride.
A self-coloured thing; a flower, animal, garment, etc., of a single colour throughout. Also, a flower of the natural wild colour. M19.
b. Botany. A plant produced by self-fertilization. E20.
Immunology. Material regarded by an individual's immune system as a normal component of that individual and so not subject to attack by it. M20.