/ðəm'selvz; ðəm`sɛlvz/
reflex, emph pron 反身、强调代词 (only taking the main stress in sentenceswhen used emphatically 在句中仅于加强语气时方重读)
1 (reflex 反身) (used when the people or animals performing an action are also affected by it 用以指人或动物所施的动作返回到本身)
*The children can look `after themselves for a couple of hours. 孩子们能照顾自己几个小时.
2 (emph 强调) (used to emphasize they or them 用以强调 they 或 them)
*They themselves had had a similar experience. 他们自己就曾有过相似的经历.
* Denise and Martin paid for it themselves. 丹妮斯和马丁他们自己付的钱.
* The teachers were themselves too surprised to comment. 老师们自己惊奇得不知该说什么好.
3 (idm 习语) by them`selves
(a) alone 独自地; 单独地.
(b) without help 独力地.

pron
used to show that the people who do something are affected by their own action
　Teachers have no choice but to take measures to protect themselves.
　Our neighbours have just bought themselves a jacuzzi.
　The kids seem very pleased with themselves.
used to emphasize the pronoun 'they', a plural noun etc
　Doctors themselves are the first to admit the treatment has side effects.
used after words like 'everyone', 'anyone', 'no one' etc when you talk about someone already mentioned and you do not know what sex they are or it is not important. Many teachers think this is not correct English
　Someone told me they'd actually seen the accident happen themselves.
in themselvesalsoin and of themselves
considered without other related ideas or situations
　The carvings are works of art in themselves, even disregarding their religious significance.
(all) by themselves
a) alone
　older people who are living all by themselves
b) without help from anyone else
　Did the children make the model all by themselves?
(all) to themselves
if people have something to themselves, they do not have to share it with anyone
　They had the whole beach to themselves.
not be/feel themselves
if people are not themselves, they do not feel or behave in the way they usually do because they are nervous, upset, or ill