help oneself to — to take food, drink, or other things without asking for permission, usually when invited to do so
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to take food, drink, or other things without asking for permission, usually when invited to do so
Pronunciation (IPA): /hɛlp wʌnˈsɛlf tu/
Example Sentences
- The host said, 'Help yourself to pizza, but please don't help yourself to my Netflix password!'
- She helped herself to another slice of birthday cake while pretending to check her phone.
- The buffet sign read: 'Help yourself, but remember, your pants have feelings too.'
help oneself to
NOUN[/hɛlp wʌnˈsɛlf tu/]
to take food, drink, or other things without asking for permission, usually when invited to do so
At the buffet, kids help themselves to mountains of fries.
The elf helps itself to treats from the shelf!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase combines the 14th-century verb 'help' (from Old English 'helpan', meaning to assist or support) with the reflexive pronoun 'oneself' (developed in the 16th century). The expression originally meant 'to assist oneself in taking something', evolving to mean taking something without permission or assistance.
Breakdown
help (to assist, support) + oneself (reflexive pronoun, one's own self) + to (preposition marking the action taken). The reflexive structure emphasizes self-directed action, transforming the meaning from literal assistance to self-service or unauthorized taking.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The host said, 'Help yourself to pizza, but please don't help yourself to my Netflix password!'”
“She helped herself to another slice of birthday cake while pretending to check her phone.”
“The buffet sign read: 'Help yourself, but remember, your pants have feelings too.'”
“Please help yourself to coffee and pastries in the conference room.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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