Search the Dictionary

Bending or turned backward; reflective; having respect to something past. Assurance reflexive can not be a divine faith. Hammond.

Reflexively : To give (one's self) up without attempt at self- control ; to yield (one's self) unrestrainedly ; -- often in a bad sense. He abandoned himself . . . to his favorite vice. Macaulay.

e or withdraw (one's self) to such a distance as to prevent intercourse; -- used with the reflexive pronoun. If after due summons any member absents himself, he is to be fined. Addison.

Reflexively: (a) To clear one's self.k. (b) To bear or conduct one's self; to perform one's part; as, the soldier acquitted himself well in battle; the orator acquitted himself very poorly.

Reflexively: To prepare one's self; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake. These men addressed themselves to the task. Macaulay.

To betake; to address; to refer; -- used reflexively. I applied myself to him for help. Johnson.

By way of reflection; reflexively. Sir J. Davies.

To carry; to conduct; to comport; to manage; to bear; -- used reflexively. Those that behaved themselves manfully. 2 Macc. ii. 21.

To demean; to conduct; to behave; -- followed by a reflexive pronoun. [Obs.] How might we see Falstaff bestow himself to-night in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen Shak.

To have recourse to; to apply; to resort; to go; -- with a reflexive pronoun. They betook themselves to treaty and submission. Burke. The rest, in imitation, to like arms Betook them. Milton. Whither shall I betake me, where subsist Milton.

llection, reflection, or consideration; to think; to consider; -- generally followed by a reflexive pronoun, often with of or that before the subject of thought. I have bethought me of another fault. Shak. The rest . . . may . . . bethink themselves, and recover. Milton. We bethink a means to break it off. Shak.…

To prepare for action; to apply with vigor and earnestness; -- generally used reflexively. Cartwright buckled himself to the employment. Fuller.

o compromise, expose, or endanger by some decisive act or preliminary step; -- often used reflexively; as, to commit one's self to a certain course. You might have satisfied every duty of political friendship, without commiting the honor of your sovereign. Junius. Any sudden assent to the proposal . . . might possibly…

To carry; to conduct; -- with a reflexive pronoun. Observe how Lord Somers . . . comported himself. Burke.

To behave; -- with the reflexive; as, he conducted himself well.

, as one's sins to a priest, in order to receive absolution; -- sometimes followed by the reflexive pronoun. Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father. Addison.

put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds. [Obs., exept as used reflexively.] The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. Spenser. Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. Shak.

To arrauge or dispose as in a bed; -- sometimes followed by the reflexive pronoun. The waters couch themselves as may be to the center of this globe, in a spherical convexity. T. Burnet.

To make the sign of the cross upon; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun; as, he crossed himself.

To conduct; to behave; to comport; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun. They have demeaned themselves Like men born to renown by life or death. Shak. They answered . . . that they should demean themselves according to their instructions. Clarendon.