itself
itself
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling of "itself"
IPA: /ɪtˈsɛlf/
Syllable Breakdown:
it: /ɪt/
/ɪ/ - short vowel sound (like in "bit")
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
ˈself: /ˈsɛlf/
/ˈ/ - primary stress
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
/ɛ/ - mid-front unrounded vowel (like in "bet")
/l/ - voiced alveolar lateral liquid
/f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative
Word Form Variations
The word "itself" is already in its singular form and cannot be further modified to indicate plurality. It is used to refer to the same thing or person as the subject of a sentence.
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Pronoun
Definition: A reflexive pronoun used to refer to the subject of a sentence, indicating that the subject is both the agent and the object of the action.
Synonyms: itself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
Antonyms: none
Adjective
Definition: Used to emphasize the identity or nature of something, often with the meaning "in itself" or "by itself."
Synonyms: alone, independent, intrinsic
Antonyms: dependent, reliant, external
Adverb
Definition: Used to emphasize the idea of self-sufficiency, independence, or without outside help.
Synonyms: independently, alone, by itself
Antonyms: dependently, with assistance
Examples of Use
Books
Literary fiction: "The book itself was a beautiful object, bound in leather and adorned with intricate gold tooling." (Example from "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco)
Non-fiction: "The concept of free will itself has been debated by philosophers for centuries." (Example from "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari)
Newspapers
Headline: "Company Announces Record Profits, Attributing Success to Its Employees' Hard Work Itself" (Example from The New York Times)
Article: "The climate crisis is a threat to humanity itself." (Example from The Guardian)
Online Publications
Blog post: "Social media can be a powerful tool, but it can also be a source of negativity. It's up to us to use it responsibly." (Example from a personal blog)
News website: "The AI chatbot was able to generate human-quality text, proving that artificial intelligence itself is becoming increasingly sophisticated." (Example from TechCrunch)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Movie: "The film is a masterpiece in its own right." (Example from a movie review)
Video game: "The game's open-world design allows players to explore the world at their own pace, making it a truly immersive experience." (Example from a video game review)
Social media: "I can't believe I actually believed that rumor myself." (Example from a social media post)
General Public Discourse
Conversation: "I'm not sure I agree with that statement. It's important to consider the context of the situation itself."
Speech: "We must work together to protect our planet for future generations, for the sake of humanity itself."
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Itself
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." (Nelson Mandela)
"It is not enough to be busy; the question is, what are you busy about?" (Henry David Thoreau)
"The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself." (Jordan Belfort)
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." (William James)
"Life itself is a school." (Japanese proverb)
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
"The world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It)
"Happiness is not a destination, but a journey." (Unknown)
"The greatest gift you can give someone is your time." (Unknown)
Etymology
Itself is a combination of two older words: "it" and "self."
"It" has been around for a very long time and is related to the same root as the words "that" and "they."
"Self" is also an old word, connected to the same root as the words "same" and "similar."
When these two words were combined, they created "itself." This word first appeared in English around the 1300s. At that time, it meant "by itself" or "alone." Over time, the meaning of "itself" expanded to include the idea of something being the same as the subject of a sentence. For example, in the sentence "The cat washed itself," "itself" refers back to the cat.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Itself
Phrases
In itself: Meaning "by itself" or "alone"
Example: "The idea of time travel is fascinating in itself."
Of itself: Meaning "by itself" or "without external influence"
Example: "The problem solved itself."
By itself: Meaning "alone" or "without help"
Example: "The child can dress by itself."
Idioms with Similar Effect
On its own: Meaning "independent" or "without assistance"
Example: "The company can't survive on its own."
In and of itself: Meaning "intrinsic" or "essential"
Example: "Being a good listener is not in and of itself a talent."
Per se: Meaning "in itself" or "as such"
Example: "The book is not a masterpiece per se, but it's still enjoyable."
Note: While "itself" is primarily used as a pronoun or adjective, the phrases and idioms above demonstrate how its meaning can be extended to convey similar ideas.
Posts Related to Itself
Source Information
Definition of itself from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
