The use of they as a singular pronoun meaning ‘a person of either sex’ has a very long history. It is no less controversial for all that. It is no longer appropriate to use he, him, his, or himself after words like everyone or no one, but the. A sentence such as Everyone should do his best would rightly be seen as sexist except where all the people referred to were male. The forms he or she, his or her etc are undoubtedly often awkward to use. The use of they, them and their presents itself as an obvious and convenient solution – except that, traditionally, they is plural. A blanket objection to a singular they seems unreasonable. It is best perhaps to avoid it in formal writing and where the clash between singular and plural is very marked. Everyone should do their best is acceptable inasmuch as everyone is a plural concept if not a plural word. A lawyer must respect their clients’ confidence is far less acceptable and could so easily be recast in unexceptionable form: Lawyers must respect their clients’ confidence. In this dictionary the gender-neutral they is generally used