The Collaborative International Dictionary
Self-denying \Self`-de*ny"ing\, a. Refusing to gratify one's self; self-sacrificing. -- Self`-de*ny"ing*ly, adv.
Wiktionary
a. Without concern for ones own advantage; selfless or self-sacrificing
WordNet
adj. willing to deprive yourself [syn: self-giving, self-sacrificing]
used especially of behavior [syn: renunciant, renunciative, self-abnegating]
Usage examples of "self-denying".
At all events, thanks to my youth and my exalted ideas, I fancied that through my self-denying resolutions the father would not be so great a dupe, and the daughter not so unhappy, unless the result should prove as unfortunate for her as it had been for poor Lucy, of Pasean.
Ginger would have responded to the pathos of it all-such self-denying, un actualized essentially lost women-were she not so distracted by seeking out and availing herself of the buried acorns they had squirreled away in all the corners of the house, indeed, craftily concealed, Ginger could not help but suspect, from someone very like herself whom they had anticipated with their sharp if squandered intelligences.
I will do so therefore in the present case by telling you that I consider your boasts of the splendour of your city and of it's superb hackney coaches as a flout, and declaring that would not give the polite, self-denying, feeling, hospitable, goodhumoured people of this country and their amability in every point of view, (tho' it must be confessed our streets are somewhat dirty, and our fiacres rather indifferent) for ten such races of rich, proud, hectoring, swearing, squibbing, carnivorous animals as those among whom you are.
They have such an eatable look that the most self-denying stranger can hardly keep his hands off.