I. ˈkəstəm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English custume, custom, costome, from Old French custume, costume, from Latin consuetudin-, consuetudo, from consuetus, past participle of consuescere to accustom, from com- + suescere to become accustomed, accustom; akin to Latin suus one's own — more at suicide
1.
a. : a form or course of action characteristically repeated under like circumstances : a usage or practice that is common to many or to a particular place or class or is habitual with an individual
one of the many gracious customs of the late Queen — G.W.Talbot
b.
(1) : long-established, continued, peaceable, reasonable, certain, and constant practice considered as unwritten law and resting for authority on long consent : a usage that has by long continuance acquired a legally binding force
(2) : the usage of a country or particular locality having the force of law in that country or locality
the custom of London
c. : repeated practice
custom makes all things easy — Jean Ingelow
d. : the whole body of usages, practices, or conventions that regulate social life : usual manner and method of living and doing : social habit
the icy chains of custom — P.B.Shelley
— compare folkway
2. obsolete : a due or rent in money, in kind, or in services that a feudal tenant was bound to render to his lord : the obligation to render or right to receive such due or rent
3. customs plural
a. : duties, tolls, or imposts imposed by the sovereign law of a country or commodities imported into or exported from the country — compare rate
b. usually singular in construction : the agency, establishment, or procedure for collecting such customs
4.
a. : business patronage : personal and often habitual patronage of an establishment : habit of purchasing or buying services : amount of business
the town shopkeepers sought his custom — Adrian Bell
paying personal calls on likely firms to try to obtain their custom — F.W.Crofts
b. : customers
the custom liked the new line
5. : celebration ; especially : a celebration formerly held by the Dahomeans and Ashanti and attended with much human sacrifice
6. : a custom-built automobile
Synonyms: see habit
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English customen, from Middle French costumer, from costume custom
1. archaic : accustom
2. obsolete : to deal with as a customer
III. adjective
Etymology: custom (I)
1.
a. : made or performed according to personal order usually to individual specifications
preferred custom suits and luxurious cars
a custom set of silver
b. : performed or effected by an owner of machinery or facilities according to special personal order
the custom work I did for the neighbors with the tractor plowing and with the cornpicker picking corn — John Dos Passos
doing custom smelting for small companies
began the custom manufacture of agricultural chemicals
2. : specializing in custom work or operation
a custom tailor
a custom cabinetmaker
a custom sawmill