'em
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Appendix:Variations of "em"
Contents
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From earlier hem, from Middle English hem, from Old English heom (“them”, dative) of hie,[1] originally a dative plural form but in Middle English coming to serve as an accusative plural as well. Cognate with Dutch hun (“them”), German ihnen (“them”).
Now often treated as a form of them, which however derives from Old Norse rather than Old English.
Pronunciation[edit]
Pronoun[edit]
'em
- (now colloquial) Them (typically after a preposition, or otherwise with accusative or dative force; now only in unstressed position).
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter j, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVI:
- Truly said sire Ector I can not here of hym nor of syr Galahad / Percyuale nor syr Bors / lete hem be sayd syre Gawayne / for they foure haue no pyeres
- 1602, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night:
- Some are become great, some atcheeues greatnesse, and some haue greatnesse thrust vppon em.
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1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
- Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand. We spent consider'ble money getting ’em reset, and then a swordfish got into the pound and tore the nets all to slathers, right in the middle of the squiteague season.
- 2010, John Baron, The Guardian, 3 December:
- We've literally had dozens of your photographs submitted this week – keep ’em coming!
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter j, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVI:
