hisself

English

Etymology

From Middle English his-self, his self, his-selfe, his-selven, his selfen; equivalent to his +‎ -self.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɪz.sɛlf/
• Rhymes: -ɛlf

Pronoun

hisself (plural theirselves)

1. (now chiefly dialectal or informal) Himself.
   • 1853, Cuthbert Bede [pseudonym; Edward Bradley], “Mr. Verdant Green terminates his existence as an Oxford Freshman”, in The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman, London: Nathaniel Cooke, […], →OCLC, page 116:

     Among those who seemed disposed to join in this opinion was the Jehu of the Warwickshire coach, who expressed his conviction to our hero, that "he wos a young gent as had much himproved hisself since he tooled him up to the 'Varsity with his guvnor."

   • 1897, The Cosmopolitan, volume 22, page 564:

     Then when he had finally got through he sat down and luk'd as tho' he hisself would die of grief if they brought in a verdict of guilty.

   • 1953, James Baldwin, “The Seventh Day”, in Go Tell It on the Mountain (Penguin Classics), London: Penguin Books, published 2001, →ISBN:

     I sure hope he don't get hisself hurt one of these days, running his mouth thataway.

   • 2020, Eoin Colfer, Highfire‎, Hachette, →ISBN:

     ‘Charles ain't exactly got his feet on the ground. Last week he swore to me that he was spending his nights in New Orleans manwhoring hisself. […] ’

Derived terms

• every man for hisself

Anagrams

• Fishels, selfish