PRON
You use
them
instead of 'him or her' to refer to a person without saying whether that person is a man or a woman. Some people think this use is incorrect. □
It takes great courage to face your child and tell them the truth.
3
DET
In non-standard spoken English,
them
is sometimes used instead of 'those'. □
'Our Billy doesn't eat them ones,' Helen said.
the|mat|ic
/θiːmæ
t
I
k/ ADJ
[usu ADJ
n]
Thematic
means concerned with the subject or theme of something, or with themes and topics in general. [FORMAL
] □
…assembling this material into thematic groups.
●
the|mati|cal|ly
/θiːmæ
t
I
kli/ ADV
□
…a thematically-linked threesome of songs.
theme
◆◇◇ /θiː
m/ (themes
)
1
N‑COUNT
A
theme
in a piece of writing, a talk, or a discussion is an important idea or subject that runs through it. □ [+ of
]
The theme of the summit was women as 'agents of change'.
2
N‑COUNT
A
theme
in an artist's work or in a work of literature is an idea in it that the artist or writer develops or repeats. □
The novel's central theme is the perennial conflict between men and women.
3
N‑COUNT
A
theme
is a short simple tune on which a piece of music is based. □
…variations on themes from Mozart's The Magic Flute.
4
N‑COUNT
[usu N
n]
Theme
music or a
theme
song is a piece of music that is played at the beginning and end of a film or of a television or radio programme. □ [+ from
]
…the theme from Dr Zhivago.
SYNONYMS
theme
NOUN
1
subject:
…steering the conversation round to his favourite subject.
topic:
The main topic for discussion is political union.
motif:
The motif of these volumes is that 'solitude is the richness of the soul, loneliness is its poverty.'
themed
/θiː
md/ ADJ
[usu ADJ
n] A
themed
place or event has been created so that it shows a particular historical time or way of life, or tells a well-known story. [mainly BRIT
] □
…themed restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.
the
me park
(
theme parks
) N‑COUNT
A
theme park
is a large outdoor area where people pay to go to enjoy themselves. All the different activities in a theme park are usually based on a particular idea or theme.
the
me pub
(
theme pubs
) N‑COUNT
A
theme pub
is a pub that has been decorated and furnished in a style that is often based on a particular country or type of activity. [mainly BRIT
] □
…Irish theme pubs.
them|self
/ðəmse
lf/ PRON
Themself
is sometimes used instead of 'themselves' when it clearly refers to a singular subject. Some people consider this use to be incorrect. □
No one perceived themself to be in a position to hire such a man.
them|selves
◆◆◆ /ðəmse
lvz/
Themselves
is the third person plural reflexive pronoun.
1
PRON
You use
themselves
to refer to people, animals, or things when the object of a verb or preposition refers to the same people or things as the subject of the verb. □
They all seemed to be enjoying themselves.
□
The men talked amongst themselves.
2
PRON
You use
themselves
to emphasize the people or things that you are referring to.
Themselves
is also sometimes used instead of 'them' as the object of a verb or preposition. [EMPHASIS
] □
Many mentally ill people are themselves unhappy about the idea of community care.
3
PRON
You use
themselves
instead of 'himself or herself' to refer back to the person who is the subject of a sentence without saying whether it is a man or a woman. Some people think this use is incorrect. □
What can a patient with emphysema do to help themselves?
4
PRON
You use
themselves
instead of 'himself or herself' to emphasize the person you are referring to without saying whether it is a man or a woman.
Themselves
is also sometimes used as the object of a verb or preposition. Some people think this use is incorrect. [EMPHASIS
] □
Each student makes only one item themselves.