Custom

Custom (kus"tum) , noun

[Old French custume, costume, Anglo-Norman coustome, French coutume, from (assumed) Late Latin consuetumen custom, habit, from Latin consuetudo, -dinis, from consuescere to accustom, verb inchoative from consuere to be accustomed; con- + suere to be accustomed, prob. originally, to make one's own, from the root of suus one's own; akin to English so, adv. Compare Consuetude, Costume.]

Frequent repetition of the same act; way of acting common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; usage; method of doing or living.

And teach customs which are not lawful. — Acts xvi. 21

Moved beyond his custom, Gama said. — Tennyson

A custom More honored in the breach than the observance. — Shakespeare

Habitual buying of goods; practice of frequenting, as a shop, manufactory, etc., for making purchases or giving orders; business support.

Let him have your custom, but not your votes. — Addison

(Law) Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent; usage. See Usage, and Prescription.

Usage is a fact. Custom is a law. There can be no custom without usage, though there may be usage without custom.

Familiar acquaintance; familiarity. [Obsolete]

Age can not wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. — Shakespeare

Collocations (3)

Custom of merchants , a system or code of customs by which affairs of commerce are regulated.

General customs , those which extend over a state or kingdom.

Particular customs , those which are limited to a city or district; as, the customs of London.

Custom , transitive verb

[Compare Old French costumer. Compare Accustom.]

To make familiar; to accustom. [Obsolete] — Gray

To supply with customers. [Obsolete] — Bacon

Custom , intransitive verb

To have a custom. [Obsolete]

On a bridge he custometh to fight. — Spenser

Custom , noun

[Old French coustume, French coutume, tax, i. e., the usual tax. See 1st Custom.]

The customary toll, tax, or tribute.

Render, therefore, to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom. — Rom. xiii. 7

Duties or tolls imposed by law on commodities, imported or exported.

Custom , transitive verb

To pay the customs of. [Obsolete] — Marlowe