Definitions for: Custom


[n] accepted or habitual practice
[n] habitual patronage
[n] a specific practice of long standing
[n] money collected under a tariff
[adj] of clothing



Webster (1913) Definition: 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.

Synonyms: bespoke, bespoken, customised, customized, custom-made, customs, customs duty, impost, made-to-order, tailored, tailor-made, tradition, usage, usance

See Also: Americanism, Anglicism, Britishism, consuetude, couvade, duty, Germanism, habit, habit, institution, patronage, pattern, practice, practice, rite, ritual, ship money, tariff, trade, use, wont, wont

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