language note: Oneself is a third person singular reflexive pronoun.
1. pronoun
A speaker or writer uses oneself as the object of a verb or preposition in a clause where 'oneself' meaning 'me' or 'any person in general' refers to the same person as the subject of the verb.
[formal]
One must apply oneself to the present and keep one's eyes firmly fixed on one's futuregoals.
To work one must have time to oneself.
2. pronoun
Oneself can be used as the object of a verb or preposition, when 'one' is not present butis understood to be the subject of the verb.
[formal]
The historic feeling of the town makes it a pleasant place to base oneself.
The only guarantee of having a cabin to oneself is by travelling first class.
It's so easy to feel sorry for oneself.
The doll-like figures in these stories are unlike anybody, let alone oneself.
3. emphatic reflexive pronoun
To do something oneself means to do it without any help from anyone else.
[formal]
It is a very rewarding exercise to work this out oneself.
Some things one must do oneself.
4. emphatic reflexive pronoun
You use oneself to emphasize that something happens to you rather than to people in general.
[formal, emphasis]
English Easy Learning GrammarReflexive pronounsReflexive pronouns are used: person singular plural 1st2nd3rd masculine3rd feminine3rd neuterGeneral myselfyourselfhimselfherselfitselfoneselfourselvesyourselvesthemselvesthemselvesthemselves ... Read more
oneself in British English
(wʌnˈsɛlf)
pronoun
1.
a. the reflexive form of one (sense 20), one (sense 21)
b.
(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
oneself in American English
(ˌwʌnˈsɛlf; ˌ wʌnzˈsɛlf)
pronoun
a person's own self
: also one's self
Idioms:
be oneself
by oneself
come to oneself
Examples of 'oneself' in a sentence
oneself
One must know oneself to be worse than one knows any one else to be.
Charlotte M. Yonge The Daisy Chain (1837)
It must be quite something to find oneself alone in charge of a boat.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It carries hope and a preparation to offer oneself to do something.
Aiken, Nick Working with Teenagers (1994)
Isn't the opportunity to better oneself beneficial for students?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We want to restore dignity by restoring the ability to care for oneself and one 's family.
Christianity Today (2000)
One 's attitude toward oneself is the single most important factor in healing or staying well.
Siegel, Bernie S. (MD) Love, Medicine and Miracles (1990)
It means the ability to direct oneself and one 's work.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
Then, one 's neighbour as oneself.
Kishlansky, Mark A. (editor) Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1: From the Beginningto 1715 (1995)
It makes one feel insecure and uncertain, and it can be hard to live with uncertainties about oneself and one 's abilities.
Hambly, Dr Kenneth Banish Anxiety - how to stop worrying and take charge of your life (1991)
In other languages
oneself
British English: oneself /wʌnˈself/ PRONOUN
Speakers or writers use oneself to say things about themselves and about other people.
To work, one must have time to oneself.
American English: oneself
Arabic: ذاتُهُ
Brazilian Portuguese: a si mesmo
Chinese: 自己
Croatian: sebe, se
Czech: se
Danish: sig selv
Dutch: zichzelf
European Spanish: uno mismo
Finnish: itse
French: soi-même
German: man
Greek: εαυτός
Italian: se stesso
Japanese: 自分自身
Korean: 자기 자신
Norwegian: seg selv
Polish: siebie
European Portuguese: si mesmo
Romanian: sine
Russian: сам
Latin American Spanish: uno
Swedish: sig själv
Thai: ตนเอง
Turkish: kendisi
Ukrainian: себе
Vietnamese: chính mình
Chinese translation of 'oneself'
oneself
pron
自己 (zìjǐ)
⇒ It's important to give oneself time to think.给自己一些时间思考是很重要的。 (Gěi zìjǐ yīxiē shíjiān sīkǎo shì hěn zhòngyào de.)
to hurt oneself伤(傷)了自己 (shāngle zìjǐ)
to keep sth for oneself把某物留给(給)自己 (bǎ mǒuwù liúgěi zìjǐ)
to talk to oneself自言自语(語) (zì yán zì yǔ)
by oneself (= unaided) 独(獨)力地 (dúlì de)
⇒ One should learn to deal with one's problems by oneself.每个人应该学会自己独立解决问题。 (Měigè rén yīnggāi xué huì zìjǐ dúlì jiějué wèntí.)
(= alone) 独(獨)自 (dúzì)
⇒ Living by oneself is very lonely.独自一个人生活很孤单。 (Dúzì yī gè rén shēnghuó hěn gūdān.)
All related terms of 'oneself'
by oneself
( unaided ) 独(獨)力地 dúlì de ⇒ One should learn to deal with one's problems by oneself. → 每个人应该学会自己独立解决问题。 Měigè rén yīnggāi xué huì zìjǐ dúlì jiějué wèntí.
to hurt oneself
伤(傷)了自己 shāngle zìjǐ
to behave oneself
守规(規)矩 shǒu guīju
to better oneself
提高自己 tígāo zìjǐ
to brace oneself
( in order to steady oneself ) 使自己紧(緊)靠 shǐ zìjǐ jǐn kào