noun
1
BAD : I went there hoping to learn something about Indian culture and custom.
GOOD : I went there hoping to learn something about Indian culture and customs.
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You talk about a country's customs (WITH s ): 'In Hong Kong I learned a lot about Chinese customs.'
CULTURE · CUSTOM · HABIT · MANNER · MANNERS · TRADITION
Culture (1) the customs, ideas, art, etc, which are found in a particular society or group and which make it different from another society or group: ‘Obeying your parents is a hallmark of Asian culture.’
(2) the art, music, literature, etc, that is produced by a particular society: ‘Professor Jackson is an expert on ancient Greek culture:’ ‘The Samba is an important part of Brazilian culture.’
Custom (1) something that the people in a particular society have done (in the same way) for a very long time, and which they consider to be normal or polite: ‘One of their customs is to point with the thumb, not with the index finger.’ ‘According to local custom, his body was carried to the top of a hill and cremated.’ ‘His knowledge of Malay and Indonesian customs proved invaluable when we got to Bali.’
(2) something that a person usually does in a particular situation: ‘His custom of making detailed preparatory drawings makes him unique amongst 18th century British painters.’ ‘On Wednesday evening, as was his custom, he went for a long walk.’
Habit something that a person does repeatedly, often without realizing it: ‘She has a lot of little habits that I find really irritating.’ ‘In California I got into the habit of eating with just a fork.’
Manner (singular) the way someone behaves towards people: ‘She impressed us all with her business-like manner.’ ‘His cheerful face and polite manner have won him a lot of friends.’
Manners (plural) the way someone behaves towards people, especially when compared with what is accepted as polite behaviour: ‘The child has very good manners and always says thank you.’
Tradition a belief, custom or way of doing something that has been passed on from one generation to the next: ‘The tradition was that when a man died, all his wealth and possessions would go to the eldest son.’
2
BAD : He has a custom of coughing before he speaks.
GOOD : He has a habit of coughing before he speaks.
BAD : It's very difficult for people to change their customs.
GOOD : It's very difficult for people to change their habits.
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See language note above
3
BAD : Will I have to pay custom duty?
GOOD : Will I have to pay customs duty?
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customs (WITH s) = the place where your bags are examined when you enter a country: 'We got held up at the customs while they went through our suitcases.'
customs duty (WITH s ) = taxes that you have to pay to bring certain goods into a country: 'The customs duty on electrical goods is twenty percent of the retail price.'