address oneself to

address (oneself) to (someone or something)

1. To speak to a specific person or group at the exclusion of others. Right now, I'm only addressing myself to the graduating seniors. I'll talk to the other grades tomorrow.
2. To focus on a certain problem or situation. I needed to address myself to the burst pipe in my basement—that's why I didn't attend the dinner party.
See also: address
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

address oneself to someone

to speak directly to a particular person, rather than someone else. I did not address myself to you!
See also: address

address oneself to something

to turn one's complete attention to something, such as a problem or an issue. (See also address something to someone.) Please address yourself to these current, pressing problems.
See also: address
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • address (oneself) to (someone or something)
  • address to
  • to oneself
  • to yourself, himself, etc.
  • you guys
  • before you know it
  • only have eyes for (something)
  • only have eyes for something
  • judge one on own merits
  • merit
References in periodicals archive
To speak, therefore, of race in contexts such as these is not merely to address oneself to an abstract concept.
"Race" and hermeneutics: paradigm shift - from scientific to hermeneutic understanding of race
As he wrote to McPherson, "Obviously one can no longer address oneself to the subject of the Negro family as such." In a combative moment after his report was published, he contracted to write a book on the black family, but he dropped that project.
Slumlord; Pat Moynihan has done some great things - but betraying the poverty warriors isn't one of them