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 regarding those of others.

The quality of being selfish; the exclusive regard of a person to his own interest or happiness.

The quality of being selfish; attention to one's own interests, regardless of the interests of others.

Those by a life of love and service had chosen eternal life, but these by a life of selfishness had chosen death. – Child's Story of the Bible by Mary A. Lathbury

" Another specimen of selfishness," said Judy. – Trading by Susan Warner

In nearly every case, the fault begins with the man- in his neglect and selfishness- and then man- fashion, he turns around and tries to lay it at the door of the woman. – Heart and Soul by Victor Mapes (AKA Maveric Post)

This is one species of selfishness. – The University of Hard Knocks by Ralph Parlette

" Wall," says I, " selfishness don't pay in the long- run." – Sweet Cicely Or Josiah Allen as a Politician by Josiah Allen's Wife (Marietta Holley)

I am sorry to say that my garden party friends have displayed a very considerable amount of selfishness. – Addresses & Papers / Collectanea by Peter Eade

I could wish- just with an old father's selfishness- that he was a neighbour, that he didn't plan to take you away entirely. – Sisters by Kathleen Norris

Selfishness made the difference, for a man was better than a sheep, but did not, like the sheep, belong to them. – The Gospel According to St. Mark by G. A. Chadwick

Oh, not that; avoid selfishness at Christmas, if at no other time. – A Little Book for Christmas by Cyrus Townsend Brady

The People who cannot have a principle superior to their individual selfishness, in their acts as citizens, cannot have national virtue. – Atheism Among the People by Alphonse de Lamartine

To Peter had come glimpses of the magnificent selfishness of this prophet of the people. – Red Fleece by Will Levington Comfort

I dread your refusal, he said; and yet, old as I am, there is no selfishness in my love. – A Double Knot by George Manville Fenn

But you will pardon my selfishness, won't you? – The Silver Horde by Rex Beach

There is no sin that is not selfishness, there is no selfishness that is not sin. – The New Theology by R. J. Campbell

The woman has her own share of selfishness, and her son's, too. – Somehow Good by William de Morgan

Although I know it is an act of selfishness on my part. – Molly Bawn by Margaret Wolfe Hamilton

The one impulse would end in a kind of spiritual selfishness. – Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius by Samuel Dill

If you would give me a little hope, if you would wait- oh, pardon the selfishness of my request, the pitiable weakness displayed in this appeal! – Without a Home by E. P. Roe

And was it for him, who had been careful of her- very careful on the whole, despite man's selfishness, despite her never having understood the depths of him- was it for him of all people to hurt her so, to stamp her face with sorrow, perhaps destroy her utterly? – The Dark Flower by John Galsworthy