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them·selves (thĕm-sĕlvz, thəm-)
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pron.
1. Those ones identical with them:
a. Used reflexively as the direct or indirect object of a verb or as the object of a preposition: prepared themselves for the trip; gave themselves plenty of time; were left to themselves.
b. Used for emphasis: The cooks themselves eat after all the guests have finished.
c. Used in an absolute construction: Newcomers themselves, they knew few people at the party.
2. Their normal or healthy condition: The members of the crew were themselves again after the crisis passed.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.