Middle English Dictionary Entry
their-self pron.
Entry Info
| Forms | their-self pron. |
| Etymology | From their(e pron. & self adj., n., & pron. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. theim-self pron.
1.
Emphatic pl. pron., having the same referent as the subj.: themselves: (a) as appositive to the subj. of a clause; (b) as direct obj. of a verb, ppl., or an inf.;—occas. with inf. or compl. following; (c) as obj. of a prep.;—also with sg. antecedent [1st quot.].
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)3708 : Alle þa atte blessis þe sal þaire-seluen blessed be.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)29275 : Of cursing..fiftene pointes þere er to schew..First on þam þis cursing takes þat sustenes or þaire seluyn makes Fals trowth ogains cristen state.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)753 : Þorou skil of þaire awen dede sulde þai merke þaire awen mede to saue þaire self wiþ-outen ende.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)86/48 : Þai halde þairself so gloriouse.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)17176 : Þis wyse woman Iudyth..herd of þer tythyng tell, how ser oȝi had ordand yt þer Cyte and þer selfe to sell..Sho wold yt wast with womans wytt.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)110/33 : Þai þat will commend þer selfe vnto þe devull, þai giff hym power of þaim.
- ?a1475 Banester Guiscardo (Add 12524)276 : Forth she broght hym in to hyr chawmer anone, And with-in curtens betwene them devysinge, Venyng there selff to haue bene allone, [etc.].
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)664 : Knyghtys..Thedur..rode wythowten reste..Some ther selfe for to assay, And some to wynne þat feyre may.
c
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)6968 : Ilka kinrede of þa twelue had an ouer-man be þaire selue [Göt: þaim selue; Vsp: ham-selfe] at sulde þaire awen kinrede lede.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6781 : Þai wald never blethely Gyf til poer at drynk..Ne nouther gyf þam mete ne drynk, And on þair-selven na drynk wald spare.
2.
Emphatic pl. pron. used independently as subj. of a clause: they themselves.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5378 : I giue him woningsted, sted to wale..Til him and til his breþer elleuen, To ches þam ware þair-self [Frf: þai] will neuen.