thyself
Definition
- Pronoun (reflexive, second person singular, archaic or poetic):
- A reflexive pronoun referring to the person being addressed (thee, you) as the object of an action or for emphasis. It is the equivalent of "yourself" in modern English but used in older or formal contexts, especially in religious, poetic, or historical texts.
Usage Examples
- Reflexive use (the subject and object are the same person):
- Know thyself. (An ancient aphorism meaning "understand your own character and abilities.")
- Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (From religious scripture: "You should love your neighbor as you love yourself.")
- Emphatic use (to stress the person addressed):
- Thyself alone art responsible for this deed. (You yourself are solely responsible for this action.)
- Look to thyself before judging others. (Examine your own faults before criticizing others.)
Advanced Usage
- "To do something for thyself": to act independently or for one's own benefit.
- Think for thyself, and do not follow the crowd. (Form your own opinions without blindly following others.)
- "By thyself": alone or without assistance.
- Canst thou complete this task by thyself? (Can you finish this task alone?)
Variants and Related Words
- Thyself is the reflexive form of thou (archaic second person singular pronoun, subject) and thee (object form). It is related to:
- Thy (possessive adjective): belonging to you.
- Honour thy father and thy mother. (Honor your father and your mother.)
- Thine (possessive pronoun): yours.
- This book is thine, not mine. (This book is yours, not mine.)
- Yourself (modern equivalent): the contemporary reflexive pronoun for "you."
- Be yourself. (Act naturally, without pretense.)
Synonyms
- Yourself (modern English): the reflexive pronoun for the second person singular.
- Know yourself. (Modern equivalent of "Know thyself.")
- Oneself (formal, generic): used for any person.
- One must know oneself. (A general statement about self-awareness.)
Related Idioms
- "Physician, heal thyself": a proverb meaning one should address one's own faults before criticizing others.
- Before you lecture me on punctuality, remember the saying: physician, heal thyself. (Attend to your own shortcomings first.)
- "Know thyself": a famous maxim from ancient Greek philosophy, emphasizing self-awareness.
- The path to wisdom begins with "know thyself." (Self-knowledge is the foundation of wisdom.)
Historical and Poetic Notes
- Thyself is part of the Early Modern English pronoun system, used alongside thou, thee, thy, and thine. It appears frequently in the King James Bible (1611) and Shakespeare's works.
- Love thy neighbour as thyself. (Biblical, Leviticus 19:18)
- To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. (Shakespeare, Hamlet — note: "thine own self" uses "thine" as a possessive before a vowel sound.)
- In modern usage, it is considered archaic or highly formal, used primarily in religious contexts, poetry, or historical reenactments.