(pl. selves /selvz/)
1- a person's essential being that distinguishes them from others, especially considered as the object of introspection or reflexive action自己, 自我：
our alienation from our true selves
我们与自我的疏远
in sing. guilt can be turned against the self罪恶可以与自己作对
mass noun language is an aspect of a person's sense of self.语言是一个人自我意识的一个方面。
1.1
- with adj. a person's particular nature or personality; the qualities that make a person individual or unique个性; 本性：
by the end of the round he was back to his old self
这一回合结束时他又重新找回了自我
Paula seemed to be her usual cheerful self.
保拉好像又和她平常一样高兴了。
1.2
- mass noun one's own interests or pleasure私利, 私心：
to love in an unpossessive way implies the total surrender of self.
用不占有的方式去爱意味着对个性的完全放弃。
(pl. selves)
1- oneself, in particular自己, 尤指：
1.1
- with adj.
one's self
used ironically to refer in specified glowing terms to oneself or someone else自己（用于自谑的赞美语中）： an article with a picture of my good self.
一篇附有我这个大好人照片的文章。
1.2
- used on counterfoils, cheques, and other papers to refer to the holder or person who has signed本人（用于票根、支票等, 指称持有人或签署人）。
attrib.
- (of a trimming or cover) of the same material and colour as the rest of the item（装饰品, 封面）与其他部分同质同色的：
a button-through style with self belt.
配同色质皮带、上下全纽扣的式样。
with obj.
1- chiefly Botany self-pollinate; self-fertilize【主植】使自花授粉; 使自体受精：
as noun selfing the flowers never open and pollination is normally by selfing.这些花从不绽放, 一般自花授粉。
1.1
- usu. as adj. selfed Genetics cause (an animal or plant) to breed with or fertilize one of the same hybrid origin or strain【遗传】（动物, 植物）同系繁殖; 同系受精：
progeny were derived from selfed crosses.
后代是源于同系繁殖的杂交种。
词源
Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zelf and German selbe. Early use was emphatic, expressing the sense '(I) myself', '(he) himself', etc. The verb dates from the early 20th cent.