thyself, pron.
(ðaɪˈsɛlf)
Forms: 1 þe sylf, 1–4 þe self, 3–4 þi self, sulf, silf, 4 þi selue, zelue, self(e (þei-self), 4–5 thiselfe, 5 (thiselph), þy self(e, selffe, 5–7 thy self, thy selfe, 6 thyselfe, (9 dial. theeself), 5– thyself. β. (orig. oblique cases) 1 þe sylfne, sylfum, 3–4 þe selven, 4–5 þi seluen, 5 the seluen, -in, -un, 6 Sc. thy seluyn, selfin.
[In OE. þé ‘thee’ followed by the adj. self; the latter either in concord with þé (dat. þé selfum, acc. þe(c) selfne), or, in the constr. þ{uacu} þé self, in concord with þ{uacu} (þé being dative or instrumental): see self 4, and cf. myself. From 13th c., þi, þy, thy, poss. adj., took the place of the pers. pron. thee; self being treated as a n.]
As to restriction of use see note to thou; cf. yourself.
I. Emphatic uses: = Very thou, very thee.
1. Accompanying the subject-pronoun thou (or, after a verb in the imperative, without thou).
In mod. Eng., in thou thyself, thyself is grammatically in apposition to thou.
| a 800 Cynewulf Crist 114 Þæt þu þa beorhtan us sunnan onsende, ond þe sylf cyme. a 800 Cædmon's Gen. 608 Þu meaht nu þe self ᵹeseon. a 1300 Cursor M. 4604 (Cott.) Lok þi seluen wit resun [G. þi selue, F. þi-self]. Ibid. 5429 Heit me truli þat þou þe seluen [G. þu þi selue, F. þou þi-self] Sal me wit mine foreldres deluen. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 511, Y haue sent þe my sonde as þou þei-self bade. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) xlix, As thou thi seluun hase. 1535 Coverdale 1 Kings xx. 40 It is thine owne iudgment, thou hast geuen it thyselfe. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. v. 111 Then get thee gone, and digge my graue thy selfe. 1611 Bible Luke vi. 42 When thou thy selfe beholdest not the beame that is in thine owne eye. 1759 Johnson Rasselas xii, Thou art thyself weary of the valley. 1864 R. F. Littledale Hymn, ‘O Fire of God, the Comforter’ ad fin., All praise to Thee..Who art Thyself all praise. |
2. By ellipsis of thou, used as simple subject (with verb usually in 2nd person; occasionally in 3rd, self being treated as a n.).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 9568 (Cott.) ‘Fader’, sco said, ‘þi doghter am i, Als þi-self wat witerli’. c 1375 Ibid. 876 (Trin.) Þi seluen is to wite I wis. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11982 Þat thyselfe shuld haue socourd. c 1475 Songs & Carols xxxii. 23 Man, I am thy frend ay; Thy self art thy foo. 1515 Barclay Egloges iv. (1570) C iv/2, Why is not thy selfe contented with thy part? 1611 Bible 1 Kings xx. 40 So shall thy iudgement bee, thy selfe hast discided it. 16.. Dryden (J.), These goods thyself can on thyself bestow. 1742 Wesley Hymn, ‘Come, O thou traveller unknown’ ii, Thyself hast called me by my name. 1866 J. B. Rose tr. Ovid's Met. 83 The phantom thou behold'st thyself hath made. |
b. Used as predicate, or after as or than.
| 1535 Coverdale Ps. xlix. [l.] 21 Thou..thinkest me to be euen soch one as thy self. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iii. ii. 76 Thou art Dromio, thou art my man, thou art thy selfe. 1593 ― Merry W. iii. iv. 3 Thou must be thy selfe. 1611 Bible 2 Chron. xxi. 13 Thou..hast slaine thy brethren..which were better then thy selfe. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 468 What there thou seest fair Creature is thy self. 1880 G. Macdonald Diary Old Soul Aug. 8, It is thyself, and neither this nor that,..told, taught, or dreamed of thee. |
3. Used instead of thee as object of a verb or preposition.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 328 Noȝt as a prophet ne a prest I prays sall þi selfe. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7920, I am euyn fayn Of þe sight of þi Self. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 68 He, whom next thy selfe Of all the world I lou'd. 1671 Milton Samson 789 If severely thou exact not More strength from me, then in thy self was found. 1857 G. B. Bubier Hymn, My God, I love Thee for Thyself. |
II. Reflexive uses.
4. As direct or indirect object of a verb, or in dependence on a preposition. (Orig. only emphatic refl.; later in general use, taking the place of thee reflexive, which is more decidedly archaic: see thee pron. 2.)
| c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. xix. 19 Lufiᵹe þa nehstum ðinum swa þæc seolfne [Lindisf. ðec seolfne; Ags. Gosp. þe sylfne]. a 1225 Ancr. R. 276 Þenc hwat tu hauest of þi sulf. 13.. Cursor M. 12804 (Cott.) O þe-self [other texts þi-self] quat wil þou sai? 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 131 For to loue þi louerd leuere þen þi-seluen. 1382 Wyclif John i. 22 What seist thou of thi silf? 1490 Caxton Eneydos xvi. 64 Wylt enhabyte thiselfe in a strange contrey? 1535 Coverdale Isa. lxiii. 14 To make thy self a glorious name. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle iii. 1120 Learn Solons saying, ‘Mortall know thy selfe’. 1741 Richardson Pamela II. 227 Well, Child,..how dost find thyself? 1819 Shelley Cenci iv. iv. 40 Be faithful to thyself. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan II. 158 Take and read it for theeself. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 92 Thou assertest thyself to be the son of the King. 1847 Tennyson Princess vii. 343 Yield thyself up. |