ourselves

We ourselves baked the cake for the party.

Definition

1. Reflexive Pronoun: "ourselves" is a reflexive pronoun used when the subject and object of a verb are the same group that includes the speaker and at least one other person. It refers back to the subject "we" or "us."

   • Example: We hurt ourselves while moving the furniture. (The subject "we" and the object "ourselves" refer to the same people.)

2. Emphatic Pronoun: "ourselves" can be used to emphasize the subject "we," meaning "we and no one else."

   • Example: We ourselves built this house. (We did it personally, without help.)

3. Informal Use (as object of a preposition): "ourselves" can replace "us" in phrases like "to ourselves" or "for ourselves," often implying independence or privacy.

   • Example: We kept the secret to ourselves. (We did not tell anyone else.)

Usage Examples

• Reflexive Use:

  • We taught ourselves to play the piano. (We learned without a teacher.)
  • We should be proud of ourselves for finishing the project. (We feel pride about our own achievement.)

• Emphatic Use:

  • We ourselves saw the accident happen. (We witnessed it personally.)
  • The team members themselves organized the event, not the manager. (The members did it independently.)

• Prepositional Use:

  • We did the work by ourselves. (Without help from others.)
  • We had the whole beach to ourselves. (No one else was there.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be ourselves": to act naturally or authentically, without pretense.

  • We felt comfortable enough to be ourselves at the party. (We did not pretend to be different.)

• "to talk among ourselves": to speak privately within a group.

  • We discussed the issue among ourselves before the meeting. (Only within our group.)

• "to keep something to ourselves": to not share information with others.

  • We decided to keep the surprise to ourselves. (We did not reveal it.)

Variants and Related Words

• Our (possessive adjective): belonging to us.
  • Our house is the blue one. (Belonging to us.)
• Self (noun): the essential being of a person or group.
  • Self-care is important for health. (Care of one's own well-being.)
• Selfish (adj): concerned primarily with one's own interests.
  • A selfish person thinks only of themselves. (Not of others.)

Synonyms

• Us (pronoun): object form of "we."
  • The gift is for us. (The group including the speaker.)
• Our own selves (phrase): an emphatic form of "ourselves."
  • We rely on our own selves for support. (We depend on no one else.)

Related Idioms

• "by ourselves": alone or without assistance.
  • We traveled by ourselves through Europe. (Without a guide or group.)
• "to ourselves": privately or exclusively.
  • We kept the news to ourselves. (We did not share it.)