himself

He looked at himself in the mirror.

Definition

1. Pronoun (Reflexive):
   • Referring to the male subject of the verb: "himself" is used when the subject and object of a verb refer to the same male person or animal.
   • Emphatic use: "himself" can be used to emphasize the male subject, meaning "he personally" or "he alone."

Usage Examples

• Reflexive use:

  • He hurt himself while fixing the car. (The male subject caused injury to his own body.)
  • He prides himself on his cooking skills. (He feels proud of his own abilities.)

• Emphatic use:

  • The president himself attended the meeting. (The president personally came, not a representative.)
  • He himself admitted the mistake. (He, and no one else, confessed.)

Advanced Usage

• "by himself": alone or without help.

  • He completed the project by himself. (He worked alone, without assistance.)

• "to himself": for his own private use or keeping.

  • He kept the secret to himself. (He did not share the secret with others.)

• "himself as": used in comparisons or roles.

  • He sees himself as a leader. (He perceives his own identity as that of a leader.)

Variants and Related Words

• Him (pronoun): the objective form of "he."
  • I gave the book to him. (The male person received the book.)
• His (possessive pronoun): belonging to him.
  • This is his hat. (The hat belongs to him.)

Synonyms

• The male person: no direct synonym exists, but "the man himself" can serve a similar emphatic role.
• Personally: used in emphatic contexts (e.g., ).

Related Idioms

• Betray himself: to reveal one's true character or feelings unintentionally.
  • He betrayed himself by laughing at the wrong moment. (He showed his real reaction.)
• Collect himself: to regain control of one's emotions.
  • After the shock, he took a moment to collect himself. (He calmed down.)