Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Custom?

\Cus"tom\ (k[u^]s"t[u^]m), n. [OF. custume, costume, Anglo-Norman coustome, F. coutume, fr. (assumed) LL. consuetumen custom, habit, fr. L. consuetudo, -dinis, fr. consuescere to accustom, verb inchoative fr. consuere to be accustomed; con- + suere to be accustomed, prob. originally, to make one's own, fr. the root of suus one's own; akin to E. so, adv. Cf. {Consuetude}, {Costume}.] 1. 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. --Shak. 2. 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. 3. (Law) Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent; usage. See {Usage}, and {Prescription}. Note: Usage is a fact. Custom is a law. There can be no custom without usage, though there may be usage without custom. --Wharton. 4. Familiar aquaintance; familiarity. [Obs.] Age can not wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. --Shak. {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. Syn: Practice; fashion. See {Habit}, and {Usage}.
\Cus"tom\, v. t. [Cf. OF. costumer. Cf. {Accustom}.] 1. To make familiar; to accustom. [Obs.] --Gray. 2. To supply with customers. [Obs.] --Bacon.
\Cus"tom\, v. i. To have a custom. [Obs.] On a bridge he custometh to fight. --Spenser.
\Cus"tom\, n. [OF. coustume, F. coutume, tax, i. e., the usual tax. See 1st {Custom}.] 1. 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. 2. pl. Duties or tolls imposed by law on commodities, imported or exported.
\Cus"tom\, v. t. To pay the customs of. [Obs.] --Marlowe.