selfish motive

collocation in English

meaningsofselfishandmotive

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withmotive.
selfish
adjective
uk
/ˈsel.fɪʃ/us
/ˈsel.fɪʃ/
Someone who is selfish only thinks of their ...
See more atselfish
motive
noun[C]
uk
/ˈməʊ.tɪv/us
/ˈmoʊ.t̬ɪv/
a reason for ...
See more atmotive

(Definition ofselfishandmotivefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofselfish motive

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Is there no difference between two men who commit the same offence one guided byselfishmotiveand other by a selfless one?
From theCambridge English Corpus
There is aselfishmotive, because if they escape their share it will have to be borne by the rest of us.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Here, is, perhaps, where myselfishmotivemay come in.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
He seems to think, because we want this particular form of fiscal policy, that we have someselfishmotiveto obtain for ourselves improper profits.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
This is not aselfishmotivebut rather a higher motive, a sense of mission, of wanting to serve.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Can we say that their motive is a public-spirited motive, or is it a purelyselfishmotive?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Neither plan conceals aselfishmotive.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The whole matter seems to me to come to this, that these people are carrying on this trade for the purelyselfishmotiveof making large profits.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
All those people who are not patriotic, who have only selfish motives, who do not care how other people get on.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It has no selfish motives, and it does not ask for more money.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The inference is that the votes cast will reflect at best narrow sectional interests and at worst purely selfish motives.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There is no doubt whatever that the poultry industry are not asking for this through any selfish motives or through fear of foreign competition.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
But the danger to trades unionism arises from its own purely selfish motives.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
But underlying all these merely selfish motives there must after all prevail the real question whether fairness and justice have been done.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There is a lot of counter-propaganda from outside and some from inside this country representing this war as directed by selfish motives.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I rather resent some of the suggestions, made by only one or two speakers, that mineowners are actuated by selfish motives.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They rather welcome compulsory powers, because that brings into the scheme those who, perhaps from selfish motives, are anxious to keep out; but they do want to know.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is not from selfish motives.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It should be believed that the coal owner is not actuated by selfish motives in what he is doing any more than the miners in what they are doing.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
In a great emergency men will, in response to patriotic appeal, undoubtedly do greater things and incur greater exertions than they will even for selfish motives.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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Go to the definition ofselfish
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See other collocations withmotive