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ourself

Pronunciation: /aʊəˈsɛlf/

Definition of ourself

pronoun

[first person plural]
  • 1used instead of ‘ourselves’ typically when ‘we’ refers to people in general rather than a definite group of people: [reflexive]:we must choose which aspects of ourself to express to the world [emphatic]:this is our affair—we deal with it ourself
  • 2 archaic used instead of ‘myself’ by a sovereign or other person in authority: witnessed ourself at Southampton this thirteenth day of October

The standard reflexive form corresponding to we and us is ourselves, as in we can only blame ourselves. The singular form ourself, first recorded in the 15th century, is sometimes used in modern English, typically where ‘we’ refers to people in general. This use, though logical, is uncommon and not widely accepted in standard English.

ourself in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of ourself in the US English dictionary
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