oneself

[wuhn-self, wuhnz-] /wʌnˈsɛlf, wʌnz-/
pronoun
1.
a person's self (used for emphasis or reflexively):
One often hurts oneself accidentally.
Idioms
2.
be oneself,
  1. to be in one's normal state of mind or physical condition.
  2. to be unaffected and sincere:
    One makes more friends by being oneself than by putting on airs.
3.
by oneself,
  1. without a companion; alone.
  2. through one's own efforts; unaided:
    to become a millionaire by oneself.
4.
come to oneself,
  1. Also, come to. to regain consciousness.
  2. to regain one's self-possession; come to one's senses.
Also, come to one's self.
Also, Archaic, one's self.
Origin
1540-50; shortened form of one's self
Examples from the web for oneself
  • Getting close enough means putting oneself in harm's way.
  • There is so much horror in the world today that involving oneself in another animal that is threatened is enlightening.
  • When faced with such facts, one reaches for bearings, for ways to steady oneself.
  • Making oneself as visible as possible isn't a great tactic from a military perspective.
  • Traveling means extricating oneself from the familiar surroundings of home and community.
  • For as tasty as that sweet-and-sour pork may be, eating meat is an incredibly inefficient way to feed oneself.
  • Immersing oneself in the myth is a way of confirming this universal desire.
  • Dishonesty fully respects neither oneself nor others.
  • It is in the face of such anxiety that one needs the courage to make meanings, to be oneself.
  • One could laugh quietly to oneself all the way to the unemployment line.
British Dictionary definitions for oneself

oneself

/wʌnˈsɛlf/
pronoun
1.
  1. the reflexive form of one (sense 20), one (sense 21)
  2. (intensifier): one doesn't do that oneself
2.
(preceded by a copula) one's normal or usual self: one doesn't feel oneself after such an experience
Word Origin and History for oneself

1540s, one's self. Hyphenated 18c.; written as one word from c.1827, on model of himself, itself, etc.

Idioms and Phrases with oneself

oneself

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