he
he
Pronunciation
he: /hiː/
Word Form Variations
"He" is a pronoun. As such, its forms vary by case, not by singular/plural.
Subjective Case: he
Objective Case: him
Possessive Determiner: his (used before a noun, e.g., "his car")
Possessive Pronoun: his (used independently, e.g., "The car is his")
Reflexive/Intensive Pronoun: himself
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Pronoun
Definition 1: Used to refer to a male person or animal previously mentioned or easily identified.
Synonyms: him (objective case), the man, the boy
Antonyms: she, her (referring to a female)
Example: "He walked to the store."
Definition 2: Used to refer to a person of unspecified gender when the gender is unknown or irrelevant (less common in modern usage, often replaced by gender-neutral language).
Synonyms: one, they (singular 'they' is more common), a person
Antonyms: N/A
Example: "If anyone calls, tell him I'll be back soon." (Increasingly: "tell them I'll be back soon.")
Examples of Use
Books:
"As he entered the room, a hush fell over the crowd, and all eyes turned to him."
"He stood there, an unyielding sentinel against the encroaching storm, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon."
Newspapers/Online Publications:
"The President, during his address to the nation, stated that he would prioritize economic recovery." ( The New York Times)
"Elon Musk announced that he plans to launch a new satellite internet constellation next year." ( The Verge)
"Sources close to the investigation confirm that he was indeed at the scene of the crime." (The Washington Post)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "I know he's out there, and I'm going to find him." (Line from a hypothetical action movie)
Television Series: "Did you see what he did in the last episode? Unbelievable!" (Fan discussion on Reddit about a show like Succession or Game of Thrones)
Music (Song Lyrics): "And he's got a smile that it seems to me / Reminds me of childhood memories..." (From "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, 1987)
Video Games: (Character dialogue) "Is he friendly? Or should we prepare for a fight?" (From a hypothetical RPG like The Witcher 3 or Cyberpunk 2077)
Podcast: "Our guest today, Dr. Smith, will discuss how he developed his groundbreaking theory." (From a hypothetical science or interview podcast)
General Public Discourse:
"My friend told me he's going to propose to his girlfriend next month." (Casual conversation between friends)
"The guy in the red shirt, he just cut in line!" (Observation made in a public queue)
"Did you hear what he said about the new policy? I completely disagree." (Discussion at a community meeting)
"I heard he got a promotion at work. Good for him!" (Water cooler chat in an office setting)
10 Famous Quotes Using He
"Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what he can do for his country." (Slight alteration of John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, 1961 - original uses "you")
"To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles, And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep No more; and by a sleep, to say we end The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to Dream; aye, there's the rub, For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life: For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time, The Oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare Bodkin?" (William Shakespeare, Hamlet)
"The unexamined life is not worth living." (Often attributed to Socrates, though he never wrote it down himself)
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger." (Friedrich Nietzsche, though he actually wrote "What does not kill him makes him stronger.")
"A man is but what he knows." (Francis Bacon)
"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." (Benjamin Franklin, in Poor Richard's Almanack, 1735 - he referring to "a man")
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." (Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, 1963 - he implied when referring to any individual)
"If he be not born to be hanged, he'll never be drowned." (William Shakespeare, The Tempest)
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it." (Lord Acton, 1887 - he implied in the context of "great men")
"The best way out is always through." (Robert Frost, "A Further Range," 1936 - he is not explicitly used, but the quote speaks to a universal truth applicable to any individual, including a 'he' facing a challenge).
Etymology
The word "he" has a long and interesting history, going all the way back to the very early roots of the English language.
Imagine English as a tree, and "he" is a very old branch. It comes from:
Old English: The word was hē. This was used to mean "that male one" – basically, the male person we're talking about who isn't the one speaking or listening to us. This is also where its related words like "him" (from hine) and "his" (from his) come from.
Proto-Germanic: Going even further back, hē came from a Proto-Germanic word called *hiz, which meant "this" or "this one."
Proto-Indo-European: And before that, it's traced to an even older root called *ḱís, also meaning "this."
So, essentially, "he" started as a word that pointed to something close by – "this one" – and then it specifically evolved to point to a male "this one."
First Known Use and Meaning:
The earliest known use of "he" as the pronoun referring to a male person is found in Old English texts, dating back before the year 900 AD. So, roughly around the 9th century, the meaning of "he" as we primarily understand it today – a male third-person singular pronoun – was already established.
It's important to note that in Old English, there were also distinct feminine (hēo) and neuter (hit) forms of this pronoun, which later evolved into "she" and "it" respectively. So, "he" has been consistently used to refer to males for over a thousand years in the English language.
Phrases + Idioms Containing He
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "he," or incorporating a male subject for a similar effect:
He who hesitates is lost. (Common idiom - meaning indecision leads to missed opportunities)
He's a chip off the old block. (Common idiom - meaning a son resembles his father in character or behavior)
He's got two left feet. (Common idiom - meaning he's clumsy, especially at dancing)
He's a man of his word. (Common phrase - meaning he's dependable and keeps promises)
He's a dark horse. (Common idiom - meaning he's someone whose abilities or intentions are not known and who might surprise people)
He's playing with fire. (Common idiom - meaning he's doing something dangerous or risky)
He has a bone to pick with someone. (Common idiom - meaning he has a grievance to discuss)
He's got a screw loose. (Common idiom - meaning he's eccentric or slightly crazy)
He who laughs last laughs longest. (Common idiom - meaning the person who has the final triumph enjoys it the most)
He's no spring chicken. (Common idiom - meaning he's no longer young)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of he from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
