noun
[ U ] the fact of protecting yourself in a dangerous or difficult situation :
She was held back by some sense of self-preservation.
noun
[ U ] the fact of protecting yourself in a dangerous or difficult situation :
She was held back by some sense of self-preservation.
Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary. Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне. 2005