Cus"tom (kŭs"tŭm), 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.
&fist; 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.
Cus"tom, v. t. [Cf. OF.
costumer. Cf. Accustom.]
1. To make familiar; to accustom.
[Obs.] Gray.
2. To supply with customers. [Obs.]
Bacon.
Cus"tom, v. i. To have a
custom. [Obs.]
On a bridge he custometh to fight.
Spenser.
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.
Cus"tom, v. t. To pay the
customs of. [Obs.] Marlowe.
