Word Meanings - SELF-LOVE - Book Publishers vocabulary database

The love of one's self; desire of personal happiness; tendency to seek one's own benefit or advantage. Shak. Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul. Pope. Syn. -- Selfishness. -- Self-love, Selfishness. The term self-love is used

Additional info about word: SELF-LOVE

The love of one's self; desire of personal happiness; tendency to seek one's own benefit or advantage. Shak. Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul. Pope. Syn. -- Selfishness. -- Self-love, Selfishness. The term self-love is used in a twofold sense: 1. It denotes that longing for good or for well-being which actuates the breasts of all, entering into and characterizing every special desire. In this sense it has no moral quality, being, from the nature of the case, neither good nor evil. 2. It is applied to a voluntary regard for the gratification of special desires. In this sense it is morally good or bad according as these desires are conformed to duty or opposed to it. Selfishness is always voluntary and always wrong, being that regard to our own interests, gratification, etc., which is sought or indulged at the expense, and to the injury, of others. "So long as self-love does not degenerate into selfishness, it is quite compatible with true benevolence." Fleming. "Not only is the phrase self-love used as synonymous with the desire of happiness, but it is often confounded with the word selfishness, which certainly, in strict propriety, denotes a very different disposition of mind." Slewart.

Related words: (words related to SELF-LOVE)

• SPREADINGLY
  , adv. Increasingly. The best times were spreadingly infected. Milton.
• SPRINGBOARD
  An elastic board, secured at the ends, or at one end, often by elastic supports, used in performing feats of agility or in exercising.
• SPRINGE
  A noose fastened to an elastic body, and drawn close with a sudden spring, whereby it catches a bird or other animal; a gin; a snare. As a woodcock to mine own springe. Shak.
• SPRINGAL
  An ancient military engine for casting stones and arrows by means of a spring.
• SPRINT
  To run very rapidly; to run at full speed. A runner should be able to sprint the whole way. Encyc. Brit. (more info) Etym:
• MOTIONER
  One who makes a motion; a mover. Udall.
• MOTIONIST
  A mover.
• SPRIGHTLY
  Sprightlike, or spiritlike; lively; brisk; animated; vigorous; airy; gay; as, a sprightly youth; a sprightly air; a sprightly dance. "Sprightly wit and love inspires." Dryden. The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green. Pope.
• SPRINKLING
  1. The act of one who, or that which, sprinkles. Baptism may well enough be performed by sprinkling or effusion of water. Ayliffe. 2. A small quantity falling in distinct drops or particles; as, a sprinkling of rain or snow. 3. Hence, a moderate
• SELFISHNESS
  The quality or state of being selfish; exclusive regard to one's own interest or happiness; that supreme self-love or self- preference which leads a person to direct his purposes to the advancement of his own interest, power, or happiness, without
• SPRINGY
  1. Resembling, having the qualities of, or pertaining to, a spring; elastic; as, springy steel; a springy step. Though her little frame was slight, it was firm and springy. Sir W. Scott. 2. Abounding with springs or fountains; wet; spongy; as,
• SPRIGGED
  Having sprigs.
• BENEFIT SOCIETY
  A society or association formed for mutual insurance, as among tradesmen or in labor unions, to provide for relief in sickness, old age, and for the expenses of burial. Usually called friendly society in Great Britain.
• SPRUNTLY
  In a sprunt manner; smartly; vigorously; youthfully. B. Jonson.
• SPRINGHALT
  A kind of lameness in horse. See Stringhalt. Shak.
• SPRIGHTFUL
  Full of spirit or of life; earnest; vivacious; lively; brisk; nimble; gay. -- Spright"ful*ly, adv. Shak. -- Spright"ful*ness, n. Spoke like a sprightful gentlemen. Shak. Steeds sprightful as the light. Cowley.
• ADVANTAGE
  1. Any condition, circumstance, opportunity, or means, particularly favorable to success, or to any desired end; benefit; as, the enemy had the advantage of a more elevated position. Give me advantage of some brief discourse. Shak. The advantages
• SPRIT
  To throw out with force from a narrow orifice; to eject; to spurt out. Sir T. Browne.
• SPRECHERY
  Movables of an inferior description; especially, such as have been collected by depredation.
• SPRAINTS
  The dung of an otter. (more info) espreinte a desire to go to stool, from espreindre. See Sprain, v.
• DISPROPORTIONALLY
  In a disproportional manner; unsuitably in form, quantity, or value; unequally.
• EXCITO-MOTION
  Motion excited by reflex nerves. See Excito-motory.
• DISPROPORTIONABLE
  Disproportional; unsuitable in form, size, quantity, or adaptation; disproportionate; inadequate. -- Dis`pro*por"tion*a*ble*ness, n. Hammond. -- Dis`pro*por"tion*a*bly, adv.
• DISPROPORTIONALITY
  The state of being disproportional. Dr. H. More.
• HANDSPRING
  A somersault made with the assistance of the hands placed upon the ground.
• NERVIMOTION
  The movement caused in the sensory organs by external agents and transmitted to the muscles by the nerves. Dunglison.
• MISPROPORTION
  To give wrong proportions to; to join without due proportion.
• MISPRONOUNCE
  To pronounce incorrectly.
• DISPROPORTIONATE
  Not proportioned; unsymmetrical; unsuitable to something else in bulk, form, value, or extent; out of proportion; inadequate; as, in a perfect body none of the limbs are disproportionate; it is wisdom not to undertake a work disproportionate means.
• BEDSPREAD
  A bedquilt; a counterpane; a coverlet.