Ourselves: meaning, definitions and examples
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ourselves
[ ˌaʊərˈsɛlvz ]
reflexive
Used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to a group including the speaker and one or more other people previously mentioned or easily identified.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- We must learn to rely on ourselves in times of need.
- Let's handle this situation by ourselves.
- We owe it to ourselves to pursue our dreams.
emphatic
Used for emphasis or to point out that a person or people are doing something without help.
Synonyms
by ourselves, on our own, personally
Examples of usage
- We painted the house ourselves.
- She baked the cake herself.
- They built the treehouse themselves.
Translations
Translations of the word "ourselves" in other languages:
🇵🇹 nós mesmos
- nós próprias
- nós próprios
🇮🇳 खुद
- स्वयं
- अपने आप
🇩🇪 uns selbst
🇮🇩 diri kita sendiri
🇺🇦 самі
🇵🇱 sami
🇯🇵 私たち自身
🇫🇷 nous-mêmes
🇪🇸 nosotros mismos
🇹🇷 kendimiz
🇰🇷 우리 자신
🇸🇦 أنفسنا
🇨🇿 sami
🇸🇰 sami
🇨🇳 我们自己
🇸🇮 mi sami
🇮🇸 sjálfir
🇰🇿 өзіміз
🇬🇪 ჩვენ თვითონ
🇦🇿 özümüz
🇲🇽 nosotros mismos
Etymology
The word 'ourselves' is derived from the Old English word 'ūre selfa', which means 'our own self'. It has been used in the English language for centuries, evolving from Middle English to its modern form. The pronoun 'ourselves' is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to indicate a reflexive or emphatic action by a group of people including the speaker.