have a word with oneself
To consider one's attitudes or behavior with a view to reform.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You need to have a word with yourself about your bad attitude.”
“After losing his temper at the meeting, he decided to have a word with himself about how he treats his colleagues.”
“Realizing that his recent choices had alienated his closest allies, he sat in silence to have a word with himself regarding his future conduct.”
- 01
adorn oneself with borrowed plumes
To claim the honor of another for oneself.
- 02
apply oneself
Synonym of strive: to work hard, to complete an activity with good effort and focus.
- 03
bad word
A vulgar word.
- 04
be oneself
To behave or act naturally, without regard to how this behavior is perceived by others.
- 05
bear oneself
To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.
- 06
box oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
- 07
breathe a word
To divulge even part of a secret (usually used with a negative).
- 08
buy a dog and bark oneself
To do something that one has hired someone else to do.
Last updated August 10, 2026