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royal we

 - 4 dictionary results

we

[wee]
–plural pronoun, possessive our or ours, objective us.
1. nominative pl. of I.
2. (used to denote oneself and another or others): We have two children. In this block we all own our own houses.
3. (used to denote people in general): the marvels of science that we take for granted.
4. (used to indicate a particular profession, nationality, political party, etc., that includes the speaker or writer): We in the medical profession have moral responsibilities.
5. Also called the royal we. (used by a sovereign, or by other high officials and dignitaries, in place of I in formal speech): We do not wear this crown without humility.
6. Also called the editorial we. (used by editors, writers, etc., to avoid the too personal or specific I or to represent a collective viewpoint): As for this column, we will have nothing to do with shady politicians.
7. you (used familiarly, often with mild condescension or sarcasm, as in addressing a child, a patient, etc.): We know that's naughty, don't we? It's time we took our medicine.
8. (used in the predicate following a copulative verb): It is we who should thank you.
9. (used in apposition with a noun, esp. for emphasis): We Americans are a sturdy lot.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME, OE wē; c. D wij, G wir, ON vēr, Goth weis
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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royal we  
n.  The first-person plural pronoun used by a sovereign in formal address to refer to himself or herself.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

we 
O.E. we, from P.Gmc. *wiz (cf. O.S. wi, O.N. ver, Dan. vi, O.Fris. wi, Du. wij, O.H.G., Ger. wir, Goth. weis "we"), from PIE *wei- (cf. Skt. vayam, O.Pers. vayam, Hitt. wesh "we," O.C.S. ve "we two," Lith. vedu "we two"). The "royal we" (use of plural pronoun to denote oneself) is at least as old as "Beowulf" (c.725); use by writers to establish an impersonal style is also from O.E.; it was especially common 19c. in unsigned editorials, to suggest staff consensus, and was lampooned as such since at least 1853 (cf. also wegotism).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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