- cus|tom
- cus|tom «KUHS tuhm», noun, adjective.–n.2. the accepted way of acting in a community or other group; convention; tradition. SYNONYM(S): propriety, etiquette.3. a long-established habit that has almost the force of law: »
Common law is based on custom.
4. a) the regular business given by a customer: »The new gas station would like to have your custom.
SYNONYM(S): patronage. b) customers of a store or shop, as a group. SYNONYM(S): clientele.5. a tax, rent, or service regularly due from feudal tenants to their lord.–adj.1. made for a special order: »custom work.
2. making things to order; not selling ready-made goods: »He had that suit made by a custom tailor.
╂[< Old French costume, custume < Vulgar Latin cōstūmen, for cōnsuētūmen < Latin cōnsuēscere < com- (intensive) + suēscere accustom. See etym. of doublet costume. (Cf. ↑costume)]Synonym Study noun.1 Custom, habit, practice mean a usual action or way of acting. Custom applies to an action or way of doing things that has become established by a person or a group as the result of being repeated over a period of time: »It was his custom to go to the movies every Saturday.
Habit applies to an action that a person has repeated so often that he does it naturally and without thinking: »She had the habit of winding her watch before going to bed.
Practice applies to a usual or customary procedure that a person has established by deliberate choice: »He had made a practice of getting up early.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
