ours
ours
Pronunciation
IPA phonetic spelling for "ours": /aʊərz/
First Syllable: /aʊər/ (as in "hour")
Second Syllable: /z/ (as in "zoo")
Word Form Variations
"Ours" is a possessive pronoun. As such, it does not have singular/plural forms in the same way that nouns do. It inherently refers to something belonging to "we" (plural). Therefore, there are no other word form variations like singular, plural, or different conjugations.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Pronoun
Definition 1: Belonging to or associated with the speaker and one or more other people previously mentioned or easily identified.
Synonyms: n/a (as it's a specific possessive pronoun)
Antonyms: yours, theirs, his, hers, its
Definition 2: Used to refer to something that is produced by, comes from, or is characteristic of the group including the speaker.
Synonyms: n/a
Antonyms: n/a
Definition 3: Used when referring to a member of the speaker's family, team, or other group.
Synonyms: n/a
Antonyms: n/a
Examples of Use
Books:
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. We shall overcome, and the future will be ours." (Charles Scribner's Sons, April 1925)
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee: "Atticus said, 'You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.' Jem said, 'That's ours, ain't it, Scout?'" (J.B. Lippincott & Co., July 1960)
Newspapers:
"The economy is showing signs of recovery, and the new jobs created will surely be ours to fill," stated an editorial in The Wall Street Journal.
A headline in The Guardian read: "Climate Change: Is the Future Ours to Decide?"
Online Publications:
From a TechCrunch article: "The latest software update promises to make our devices even more secure, ensuring that our data remains ours alone."
A blog post on National Geographic's website discussing wildlife conservation: "The preservation of these habitats is a responsibility that is profoundly ours."
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In the movie Avengers: Endgame, Captain America declares, "Whatever it takes. This is ours to finish." (Marvel Studios, April 2019)
Music: From the lyrics of a popular song: "This moment, this feeling, it's truly ours forever." (Artist: Taylor Swift, Album: Midnights, October 2022)
Television Series: A character in the TV show Ted Lasso might say, "This locker room, this team spirit, it's fundamentally ours." (Apple TV+, 2020-2023)
Video Games: In a strategy game, a character might exclaim after a victory, "The city is finally ours!" (Example: Civilization VI, October 2016)
General Public Discourse:
During a community meeting, a resident might argue, "This park belongs to all of us; it's ours to protect and enjoy." (General public discourse)
A parent at a school play might proudly tell a friend, "That's our son up there, and that whole performance was really ours to witness." (General public discourse)
A sports fan cheering for their team: "The championship trophy is finally ours!" (General public discourse)
10 Quotes Using Ours
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. The future is ours." (Eleanor Roosevelt)
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. The victory is ours." (Nelson Mandela)
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. This shared humanity is ours." (Winston Churchill)
"The earth is what we all have in common. Its preservation is ours to ensure." (Wendell Berry)
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." (William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar)
"Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. The challenge is ours." (John F. Kennedy)
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. The choice is ours." (Martin Luther King Jr.)
"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." (Michelangelo)
"The best way to predict the future is to create it. The opportunity is ours." (Peter Drucker)
Etymology
The word "ours" has a journey through the history of the English language. It comes from Middle English (around 1150-1500 AD), where it appeared as "oures."
Think of it like this: just as we add an "-s" to many nouns to show possession (like "dog's" or "cat's"), "ours" essentially took the word "our" and added a similar "-s" ending. This created a special form that could stand alone, without needing a noun right after it.
Before "ours" became common, there were other forms like "ourn" or "ouren" in Middle English. However, "ours" eventually became the standard way to express "belonging to us" when not directly modifying a noun.
So, its first known meaning was simply "that or those belonging to us," used as a standalone word to indicate possession by a group including the speaker. It emerged from a natural evolution of possessive forms in the language, similar to how other possessive pronouns like "his" and "yours" developed. The earliest recorded uses of "ours" date back to around the 1300s, appearing in texts like those by Geoffrey Chaucer.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Ours
Yours and ours: Referring to things belonging to both parties.
A friend of ours: Referring to someone known by both the speaker and the listener.
Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die: (Using a similar possessive pronoun for parallel effect, from "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson)
No skin off our nose: (Using "our" for a similar possessive sense in an idiom, meaning it doesn't affect us negatively)
Put our heads together: (Using "our" in an idiom meaning to collaborate)
The ball is in our court: (Using "our" to indicate responsibility or opportunity for a group)
Our hands are tied: (Using "our" to mean we are unable to act due to circumstances)
In our humble opinion: (A common phrase indicating a shared perspective)
On our own: (Meaning without help or independently)
One of ours: (Referring to a member of a group or family)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of ours from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
