/kus"teuhm/ , n.
1. a habitual practice; the usual way of acting in given circumstances.
2. habits or usages collectively; convention.
3. a practice so long established that it has the force of law.
4. such practices collectively.
5. Sociol. a group pattern of habitual activity usually transmitted from one generation to another.
6. toll; duty.
7. customs ,
a. ( used with a sing. or pl. v. ) duties imposed by law on imported or, less commonly, exported goods.
b. ( used with a sing. v. ) the government department that collects these duties.
c. ( used with a sing. v. ) the section of an airport, station, etc., where baggage is checked for contraband and for goods subject to duty.
8. regular patronage of a particular shop, restaurant, etc.
9. the customers or patrons of a business firm, collectively.
10. the aggregate of customers.
11. (in medieval Europe) a customary tax, tribute, or service owed by peasants to their lord.
adj.
12. made specially for individual customers: custom shoes.
13. dealing in things so made, or doing work to order: a custom tailor.
[ 1150-1200; ME custume costume co ( n ) s ( ue ) tumin-, r. L consuetudin- (s. of consuetudo ), equiv. to consuet ( us ) accustomed, ptp. of consuescere ( con- CON- + sue- (akin to suus one's own) + -tus ptp. suffix) + -udin- n. suffix; cf. COSTUME ]
Syn. 1, 2. CUSTOM, HABIT, PRACTICE mean an established way of doing things. CUSTOM, applied to a community or to an individual, implies a more or less permanent continuance of a social usage: It is the custom to give gifts at Christmas time. HABIT, applied particularly to an individual, implies such repetition of the same action as to develop a natural, spontaneous, or rooted tendency or inclination to perform it: to make a habit of reading the newspapers. PRACTICE applies to a set of fixed habits or an ordered procedure in conducting activities: It is his practice to verify all statements.