- General customs
- 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}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Frequent repetition of the same act; way of acting common
to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; usage; method
of doing or living.
[1913 Webster]
And teach customs which are not lawful. --Acts xvi. 21. [1913 Webster]
Moved beyond his custom, Gama said. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]
A custom More honored in the breach than the observance. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2. Habitual buying of goods; practice of frequenting, as a shop, manufactory, etc., for making purchases or giving orders; business support. [1913 Webster]
Let him have your custom, but not your votes. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
3. (Law) Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent; usage. See {Usage}, and {Prescription}. [1913 Webster]
Note: Usage is a fact. Custom is a law. There can be no custom without usage, though there may be usage without custom. --Wharton. [1913 Webster]
4. Familiar aquaintance; familiarity. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
Age can not wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
{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}. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.