Langimage
English

yourself

|your/self|

A2

🇺🇸

/jɔːrˈsɛlf/

🇬🇧

/jɔːˈsɛlf/

self-reference

Etymology
Etymology Information

'yourself' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'ġeorself,' where 'ġeor-' meant 'your' and 'self' meant 'self.'

Historical Evolution

'ġeorself' transformed into the Middle English word 'yourself,' and eventually became the modern English word 'yourself.'

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'your own self,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Pronoun 1

used to refer to the person being addressed as the object of a verb or preposition when they are also the subject of the clause.

You should take care of yourself.

Synonyms

Pronoun 2

used for emphasis to refer to the person being addressed.

You yourself said it was a bad idea.

Synonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:35