Adjacent Words

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CUSTOM, n. [L.]
1. Frequent or common use, or practice; a frequent repetition o the same act; hence, way; established manner; habitual practice.
The prists custom with the people was--- 2 Samuel 2.
We have no such custom. 1 Corinthians 11.
The customs of the people are vain. Jeremiah 10.
2. A buying of goods; practice of frequenting a shop and purchasing or procuring to be done.
Let him have your custom, but not your votes.
The shopkeeper has extensive custom, or a good run of custom. A mill or a manufacturer has extensive custom, or little custom.
3. In law, long established practice, or usage, which constitutes the unwritten law, and long consent to which gives it authority. Customs are general, which extend over a state or kingdom, and particular, which are limited to a city or district.
CUSTOM, v.t
1. To make familiar. [See Accustom, which is the word used.]
2. To give custom to.
CUSTOM, n. Tribute, toll or tax; that is, cost or charge paid to the public.
Render custom to whom custom is due. Romans 13.
Customs, in the plural, the duties imposed by law on merchandize imported or exported. IN Great Britain and the United States, this word is limited to these species of duties.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: made according to the specifications of an individual [syn: custom-made, custom] [ant: ready-made] n
1: accepted or habitual practice [syn: custom, usage, usance]
2: a specific practice of long standing [syn: custom, tradition]
3: money collected under a tariff [syn: customs, customs duty, custom, impost]
4: habitual patronage; "I have given this tailor my custom for many years"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English custume, from Anglo-French, from Latin consuetudin-, consuetudo, from consuescere to accustom, from com- + suescere to accustom; akin to suus one's own — more at suicide Date: 13th century 1. a. a usage or practice common to many or to a particular place or class or habitual with an individual b. long-established practice considered as unwritten law c. repeated practice d. the whole body of usages, practices, or conventions that regulate social life 2. plural a. duties, tolls, or imposts imposed by the sovereign law of a country on imports or exports b. usually singular in construction the agency, establishment, or procedure for collecting such customs 3. a. business patronage b. usually habitual patrons ; customers Synonyms: see habit II. adjective Date: 1830 1. made or performed according to personal order 2. specializing in custom work or operation <a custom tailor>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a the usual way of behaving or acting (a slave to custom). b a particular established way of behaving (our customs seem strange to foreigners). 2 Law established usage having the force of law. 3 business patronage; regular dealings or customers (lost a lot of custom). 4 (in pl.; also treated as sing.) a a duty levied on certain imported and exported goods. b the official department that administers this. c the area at a port, frontier, etc., where customs officials deal with incoming goods, baggage, etc. Phrases and idioms: custom-built (or -made etc.) made to a customer's order. custom-house the office at a port or frontier etc. at which customs duties are levied. customs union a group of States with an agreed common tariff, and usu. free trade with each other. Etymology: ME and OF custume ult. f. L consuetudo -dinis: see CONSUETUDE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Custom Cus"tom, v. t. [Cf. OF. costumer. Cf. Accustom.] 1. To make familiar; to accustom. [Obs.] --Gray. 2. To supply with customers. [Obs.] --Bacon.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Custom Cus"tom, v. i. To have a custom. [Obs.] On a bridge he custometh to fight. --Spenser.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Custom 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Custom Cus"tom, v. t. To pay the customs of. [Obs.] --Marlowe.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(customs) 1. A custom is an activity, a way of behaving, or an event which is usual or traditional in a particular society or in particular circumstances. The custom of lighting the Olympic flame goes back centuries... Chung has tried to adapt to local customs. N-VAR: usu with supp, oft N of -ing 2. If it is your custom to do something, you usually do it in particular circumstances. It was his custom to approach every problem cautiously... N-SING: oft with poss 3. If a shop has your custom, you regularly buy things there. (BRIT FORMAL) You have the right to withhold your custom if you so wish... N-UNCOUNT: usu with poss 4. see also customs

Easton's Bible Dictionary

a tax imposed by the Romans. The tax-gatherers were termed publicans (q.v.), who had their stations at the gates of cities, and in the public highways, and at the place set apart for that purpose, called the "receipt of custom" (Matt.9: 9; Mark 2:14), where they collected the money that was to be paid on certain goods (Matt.17:25). These publicans were tempted to exact more from the people than was lawful, and were, in consequence of their extortions, objects of great hatred. The Pharisees would have no intercourse with them (Matt.5:46, 47; 9:10, 11).

A tax or tribute (q.v.) of half a shekel was annually paid by every adult Jew for the temple. It had to be paid in Jewish coin (Matt. 22:17-19; Mark 12:14, 15). Money-changers (q.v.) were necessary, to enable the Jews who came up to Jerusalem at the feasts to exchange their foreign coin for Jewish money; but as it was forbidden by the law to carry on such a traffic for emolument (Deut. 23:19, 20), our Lord drove them from the temple (Matt. 21:12: Mark 11:15).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Habit (of a majority), usage, fashion, practice, rule, consuetude, wont. See habit. 2. Form, formality, observance. 3. Patronage. 4. Tax, impost, duty, tribute, toll.

Moby Thesaurus

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