(h)imˈ ̷ ̷, ēmˈ ̷ ̷ pronoun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English him selfum, dative, him himself, from him + selfum, dative of self — more at self
1. : that identical male one : that identical one regarded as masculine (as by personification) : that identical one whose sex is unknown or immaterial — compare he I; used (1) reflexively as object of a preposition or direct or indirect object of a verb
everyone must look out for himself
in those days Providence was still busying himself with everybody's affairs — Arnold Bennett
he got himself a new suit
(2) for emphasis in apposition with he, who, that, or a noun
he himself informed me
he informed me himself
the composer himself conducted the symphony
the composer conducted the symphony himself
criticizing the king's advisers and the king himself
the judge, who had once been a lawyer himself
(3) for emphasis instead of nonreflexive him as object of a preposition or direct or indirect object of a verb
his income supports his wife and himself
(4) for emphasis instead of he or instead of he himself as subject of a verb
he was never influenced in art by any fashions save those himself created — Osbert Sitwell
or as predicate nominative
he has only one loyal disciple and that is himself
or in comparisons after than or as
he associated mainly with people younger than himself
(5) in absolute constructions
himself simple, fair-minded, unhappy, he comes in contact with the more extravagant varieties of Americans abroad — Carl Van Doren
2. : his normal, healthy, or sane condition
he came to himself
: his normal, healthy, or sane self
ill for some time, he is now himself again
3. Irish & Scotland : a man of consequence ; especially : the master of the house
she has … breakfast on the table before himself is up — Cahir Healy
4. : yourself — used in speaking to or as if to a baby
did he hurt himself
— used in some English dialects in addressing a boy or a person of higher or lower social status than the speaker; compare he I 4