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Selfish pleasure; delight. [Obs.] Massinger.

Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in spirit; catholic.

A political organization arranged and controlled by one or more leaders for selfish, private or partisan ends. [Political Cant]

Dictated by or exhibiting nobleness of soul; honorable; noble; not selfish. Both strived for death; magnanimous debate. Stirling. There is an indissoluble union between a magnanimous policy and the solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity. Washington.

Hence: Moved by considerations of pay or profit; greedy of gain; sordid; selfish. Shak. For God forbid I should my papers blot With mercenary lines, with servile pen. Daniel.

Parsimonious; niggardly; covetous; selfish. A very narrow and stinted charity. Smalridge.

Elfish. [Obs.]

Inspired by patriotism; actuated by love of one's country; zealously and unselfishly devoted to the service of one's country; as, a patriotic statesman, vigilance.

Self-love; selfishness. [Obs.] Beaumont.

tion of the nobler aspirations and sentiments of humanity; one whose scope is limited to selfish and material interests. [Recent] M. Arnold.

roceeding from, or dictated or characterized by, prudence; prudent; discreet; sometimes, selfish or pecuniary as distinguished from higher motives or influences; as, prudential motives. " A prudential line of conduct." Sir W. Scott.

A clique; an exclusive combination of persons for a selfish purpose, as to control the market, distribute offices, obtain contracts, etc. The ruling ring at Constantinople. E. A. Freeman. Ring armor, armor composed of rings of metal. See Ring mail, below, and Chain mail, under Chain. -- Ring blackbird (Zoöl.), the rin…

Hence, personal interest, or love of private interest; selfishness; as, self is his whole aim.

Seeking one's own interest or happiness; selfish. Arbuthnot.

Concentration of one's interests on one's self; self-love; selfishness. Emerson.

A selfish person. [R.] I. Taylor.

Having no regard to self; unselfish. Lo now, what hearts have men! they never mount As high as woman in her selfless mood. Tennyson.

Selfishness. [Obs.] Sir. P. Sidney.

Freedom from duplicity, or secondary and selfish ends; purity of mind or purpose; simplicity; sincerity; as, singleness of purpose; singleness of heart.

Selfishness; egoism. [R.] Whitlock.