self-preservation
/'self,prezə:'veiʃn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - The act of protecting oneself from harm or death: This refers to the conscious or unconscious actions taken to ensure one's own survival and safety. - A natural or instinctive impulse or behavior: This describes the fundamental biological drive present in all living organisms to avoid danger and maintain existence.
Usage
Basic Usage: Used to describe the fundamental instinct or conscious effort to survive and avoid injury.
- The animal's self-preservation kicked in when it sensed the predator.
- In dangerous situations, self-preservation often overrides other thoughts.
In Psychology and Biology: Used to discuss innate behaviors and drives.
- The theory discusses self-preservation as the most basic human instinct.
Examples
Advanced Usage
"Instinct of self-preservation": A common phrase emphasizing the innate, unlearned nature of this drive.
- The instinct of self-preservation is powerful and primal.
Used in abstract or metaphorical contexts to describe protecting one's interests, well-being, or identity.
- Her career move was less about ambition and more about professional self-preservation.
Variants and Related Words
- Self-preservative (adjective): Having the quality of relating to or promoting self-preservation.
- The behavior was clearly self-preservative.
Synonyms
- Survival instinct: The innate impulse to stay alive.
- Self-protection: The act of defending oneself from harm.
- Self-defense: The act of protecting oneself from physical attack.
Antonyms
- Self-destruction: The act of harming or destroying oneself.
- Self-sacrifice: The act of giving up one's own interests or safety for others.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "Every man for himself": An idiom describing a situation where people only think of their own self-preservation, often in a crisis.
- When the ship started sinking, it was every man for himself.
Noun
- preservation of yourself from harm; a natural or instinctive tendency