oneself

Universal Words pronoun (formal) 1 (the reflexive form of one) used as the object of a verb or preposition when 'one' is the subject of the verb or is understood as the subject: One has to ask oneself what the purpose of the exercise is. * One cannot choose freedom for oneself without choosing it for others. * It is difficult to make oneself concentrate for long periods. 2 used to emphasize one: One likes to do it oneself. HELPNOTE One and oneself are very formal words and now sound old-fashioned. It is much more usual to use you and yourself for referring to people in general and I and myself when the speaker is referring to himself or herself. IDIOMS be oneself to be in a normal state of body and mind, not influenced by other people: One needs space to be oneself. (all) by oneself 1 alone; without anyone else 2 without help (all) to oneself not shared with anyone