habit
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hab·it
(hăb′ĭt)n.
1.
a. A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition: made a habit of going to bed early.
b. An established disposition of the mind or character: a pessimistic habit.
c. Customary manner or practice: an early riser by habit.
d. An addiction, especially to a narcotic drug.
2. Characteristic appearance, form, or manner of growth, especially of a plant or crystal: "The habit of an apple tree is fine for the small garden" (Robert Dash).
3.
a. A distinctive set of clothing or style of dressing, especially of a religious order.
b. A riding habit.
4. Archaic Physical constitution.
tr.v. hab·it·ed, hab·it·ing, hab·its
1. To clothe; dress.
2. To clothe in a habit, especially a nun's habit.
[Middle English, clothing, from Old French, clothing, behavior, custom, from Latin habitus, from past participle of habēre, to have; see ghabh- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: habit, practice, custom, wont
These nouns denote patterns of behavior established by continual repetition. Habit applies to a behavior or practice so ingrained that it is often done without conscious thought: "Habit rules the unreflecting herd" (William Wordsworth).
Practice denotes an often chosen pattern of individual or group behavior: "You will find it a very good practice always to verify your references, sir" (Martin Joseph Routh).
Custom is behavior as established by long practice and especially by accepted conventions: "No written law has ever been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion" (Carrie Chapman Catt).
Wont refers to a customary and distinctive practice: "Miss Roxy sat bolt upright, as was her wont" (Harriet Beecher Stowe).
These nouns denote patterns of behavior established by continual repetition. Habit applies to a behavior or practice so ingrained that it is often done without conscious thought: "Habit rules the unreflecting herd" (William Wordsworth).
Practice denotes an often chosen pattern of individual or group behavior: "You will find it a very good practice always to verify your references, sir" (Martin Joseph Routh).
Custom is behavior as established by long practice and especially by accepted conventions: "No written law has ever been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion" (Carrie Chapman Catt).
Wont refers to a customary and distinctive practice: "Miss Roxy sat bolt upright, as was her wont" (Harriet Beecher Stowe).
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
habit
(ˈhæbɪt)n
1. a tendency or disposition to act in a particular way
2. established custom, usual practice, etc
3. (Psychology) psychol a learned behavioural response that has become associated with a particular situation, esp one frequently repeated
4. mental disposition or attitude: a good working habit of mind.
5.
a. a practice or substance to which a person is addicted: drink has become a habit with him.
b. the state of being dependent on something, esp a drug
6. (Biology) botany zoology the method of growth, type of existence, behaviour, or general appearance of a plant or animal: a climbing habit; a burrowing habit.
7. (Clothing & Fashion) the customary apparel of a particular occupation, rank, etc, now esp the costume of a nun or monk
8. (Clothing & Fashion) Also called: riding habit a woman's riding dress
9. (Chemistry) crystallog short for crystal habit
[C13: from Latin habitus custom, from habēre to have]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
hab•it
(ˈhæb ɪt)n.
1. an acquired pattern of behavior that has become almost involuntary as a result of frequent repetition.
2. customary practice or use.
3. a particular practice, custom, or usage: the habit of shaking hands.
4. a dominant or regular character or tendency: a habit of criticizing everyone.
5. addiction.
6. mental character or disposition.
7. characteristic bodily or physical condition.
8. the characteristic crystalline form of a mineral.
9. garb of a particular rank, profession, religious order, etc.; dress: a monk's habit.
10. the special attire worn by a person for horseback riding.
v.t. 11. to clothe; array; attire.
[1175–1225; Middle English abit < Old French < Latin habitus state, style, practice =habi-, variant s. of habēre to have, hold + -tus suffix of v. action]
syn: See custom.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
hab·it
(hăb′ĭt)1. The characteristic shape of a crystal: the cubic habit of pyrite.
2. The characteristic manner of growth of a plant: a low plant with a creeping habit.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Habit
See Also: BEHAVIOR, FLEXIBILITY/INFLEXIBILITY
- An annoying habit … like the habit of people who take nonfattening sweeteners in their coffee, and order chocolate mousse —Marilyn Sharp
- As the snow flakes gather, so our habits are formed —Jeremy Bentham
- A bad custom is like a good cake, better broken than kept —Randle Cotgrave
The word ‘custom’ is often interchanged with ‘habit.’
- Bad habits are like a comfortable bed; easy to get into, but hard to get out of —Rev. Watson C. Blake
- The customs and fashions of men change like leaves on the bough, some of which go and others come —Alighieri Dante
- (I like to) go tick-ticking along like a clock —Edith Wharton
- Habit, like a crane, will bow its neck and dip its pulleyed cable, gathering me … into the daylight —Harold Monro
- (All will be well, we say; it is) a habit, like the rising of the sun —Edna St. Vincent Millay
- The habit (of command) was already fitting him like a tailored suit —Ken Follett
- Kept on along the narrow track of habit, like a traveler; climbing a road in a fog —Edith Wharton
- Set in his ways as a chunk of concrete —F. Hopkinson Smith
- Set in one’s way, as elderly apple trees —Allison Lurie
- Shook my wild habits from me … like a worn-out cloak —O. Henry
- Take for granted, like running water —Anon
- Used to it, like a wart —Jonathan Kellerman
- Using drugs like table salt —Jimmy Breslin
- We are bagged in habit like clothes back from the cleaners —Marge Piercy
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
habit
– custom1. 'habit'
A habit is something that a person does often or regularly.
He had a nervous habit of biting his nails.
Try to get out of the habit of adding unnecessary salt in cooking.
2. 'custom'
A custom is something that people in a society do at a particular time of year or in a particular situation.
It is the custom to take chocolates or fruit when visiting a patient in hospital.
My wife likes all the old English customs.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
habit
Past participle: habited
Gerund: habiting
| Imperative |
|---|
| habit |
| habit |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  habit - an established custom; "it was their habit to dine at 7 every evening" |
| 2. | habit - (psychology) an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation; may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition; "owls have nocturnal habits"; "she had a habit twirling the ends of her hair"; "long use had hardened him to it" ritual - stereotyped behavior second nature - acquired behavior that is practiced so long it seems innate psychological science, psychology - the science of mental life cleanliness - the habit of keeping free of superficial imperfections | |
| 3. | habit - a distinctive attire worn by a member of a religious order attire, garb, dress - clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion; "formal attire"; "battle dress" frock - a habit worn by clerics monastic habit - a long loose habit worn by monks in a monastery nun's habit - a long loose habit worn by nuns in a convent faith, religion, religious belief - a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality" | |
| 4. | habit - the general form or mode of growth (especially of a plant or crystal); "a shrub of spreading habit" growing, growth, ontogenesis, ontogeny, maturation, development - (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level; "he proposed an indicator of osseous development in children" | |
| 5. |  habit - attire that is typically worn by a horseback rider (especially a woman's attire)attire, garb, dress - clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion; "formal attire"; "battle dress" jodhpur breeches, jodhpurs, riding breeches - flared trousers ending at the calves; worn with riding boots riding boot - a boot without laces that is worn for riding horses; part of a riding habit | |
| 6. |  habit - excessive use of drugs | |
| Verb | 1. | habit - put a habit on |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
habit
noun
1. mannerism, custom, way, practice, manner, characteristic, tendency, quirk, propensity, foible, proclivity He has an endearing habit of licking his lips.
2. custom, rule, practice, tradition, routine, convention, mode, usage, wont, second nature It had become a habit with her to annoy him.
3. addiction, weakness, obsession, dependence, compulsion, fixation After twenty years as a chain smoker, he has given up the habit.
habit of mind disposition, character, nature, make-up, constitution, frame of mind In accent, mannerism and habit of mind he appeared East European.
Quotations
"Habit is a great deadener" [Samuel Beckett Waiting for Godot]
"It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks" [William Camden Remains Concerning Britain]
"Habit with him was all the test of truth,"
"`It must be right; I've done it from my youth.'" [George Crabbe The Borough]
"The habits of life form the soul, and the soul forms the countenance" [Honoré De Balzac The Abbé Birotteau]
"The regularity of a habit is generally in proportion to its absurdity" [Marcel Proust Remembrance of Things Past]
"Habit is a great deadener" [Samuel Beckett Waiting for Godot]
"It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks" [William Camden Remains Concerning Britain]
"Habit with him was all the test of truth,"
"`It must be right; I've done it from my youth.'" [George Crabbe The Borough]
"The habits of life form the soul, and the soul forms the countenance" [Honoré De Balzac The Abbé Birotteau]
"The regularity of a habit is generally in proportion to its absurdity" [Marcel Proust Remembrance of Things Past]
Proverbs
"Old habits die hard"
"Old habits die hard"
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
habit
noun1. A habitual way of behaving:
2. The physical or constitutional characteristics of a person:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
بِسَبَب العادَهعادَةعادَهلِباس
zvykhávnávykšat
vaneordensdragtsædvane
kutimovesto
tapaasu
navika
ávani, vanibúningur, klæîi
癖
버릇습관
atpratintiįpratimasiš įpročio
ieradumsparadumstērps
obicei
habit
navada
vana
ความเคยชิน
thói quen
habit
[ˈhæbɪt] N1. (= customary behaviour) → costumbre f
a bad habit → un vicio, una mala costumbre
to get into the habit of doing sth → acostumbrarse a hacer algo
to get out of the habit of doing sth → perder la costumbre de hacer algo
to have a habit (= drugs) → drogarse habitualmente
to be in the habit of doing sth → tener la costumbre de hacer algo, acostumbrar or soler hacer algo
to make a habit of doing sth → acostumbrarse a hacer algo
we mustn't make a habit of arriving late → no debemos acostumbrarnos a llegar tarde
you can phone me at work as long as you don't make a habit of it → puedes llamarme al trabajo mientras no lo tomes por costumbre
let's hope he doesn't make a habit of it → esperamos que no siga haciéndolo
I always make a habit of arriving early → tengo por norma or por costumbre llegar siempre pronto
out of habit → por costumbre
out of sheer habit → por pura costumbre
a bad habit → un vicio, una mala costumbre
to get into the habit of doing sth → acostumbrarse a hacer algo
to get out of the habit of doing sth → perder la costumbre de hacer algo
to have a habit (= drugs) → drogarse habitualmente
to be in the habit of doing sth → tener la costumbre de hacer algo, acostumbrar or soler hacer algo
to make a habit of doing sth → acostumbrarse a hacer algo
we mustn't make a habit of arriving late → no debemos acostumbrarnos a llegar tarde
you can phone me at work as long as you don't make a habit of it → puedes llamarme al trabajo mientras no lo tomes por costumbre
let's hope he doesn't make a habit of it → esperamos que no siga haciéndolo
I always make a habit of arriving early → tengo por norma or por costumbre llegar siempre pronto
out of habit → por costumbre
out of sheer habit → por pura costumbre
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
habit
[ˈhæbɪt] n (= customary way of doing things) → habitude f
a bad habit → une mauvaise habitude
eating habits → habitudes alimentaires
a drug habit → une toxicomanie
to have a drug habit → être toxicomane
a cocaine habit → une dépendance à la cocaïne
to have a cocaine habit → être cocaïnomane
to get into the habit of doing sth → prendre l'habitude de faire qch
to get out of the habit of doing sth → perdre l'habitude de faire qch
to be in the habit of doing sth → avoir pour habitude de faire qch, avoir l'habitude de faire qch
to have a habit of doing sth → avoir pour habitude de faire qch, avoir l'habitude de faire qch
to do sth out of habit → faire qch par habitude
to make a habit of sth
Don't make a habit of it! → N'en fais pas une habitude!
to be a creature of habit → avoir ses petites habitudes
habit of mind → tournure f d'esprit
see also kick
a bad habit → une mauvaise habitude
eating habits → habitudes alimentaires
a drug habit → une toxicomanie
to have a drug habit → être toxicomane
a cocaine habit → une dépendance à la cocaïne
to have a cocaine habit → être cocaïnomane
to get into the habit of doing sth → prendre l'habitude de faire qch
to get out of the habit of doing sth → perdre l'habitude de faire qch
to be in the habit of doing sth → avoir pour habitude de faire qch, avoir l'habitude de faire qch
to have a habit of doing sth → avoir pour habitude de faire qch, avoir l'habitude de faire qch
to do sth out of habit → faire qch par habitude
to make a habit of sth
Don't make a habit of it! → N'en fais pas une habitude!
to be a creature of habit → avoir ses petites habitudes
habit of mind → tournure f d'esprit
see also kick
(= costume) [monk, nun] → habit m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
habit
n
→ Gewohnheit f; (esp undesirable) → (An)gewohnheit f; habit of mind → Denkweise f; to be in the habit of doing something → die Angewohnheit haben, etw zu tun, etw gewöhnlich tun; … as was his habit → … wie es seine Gewohnheit war; it became a habit → es wurde zur Gewohnheit; out of (sheer) habit → aus (reiner) Gewohnheit, (rein) gewohnheitsmäßig; his life was ruled by habit → sein Leben war von seinen Gewohnheiten bestimmt; from (force of) habit → aus Gewohnheit; she was a creature of habit → sie war ein Gewohnheitstier (inf) → or Gewohnheitsmensch; I don’t make a habit of inviting strangers in → (für) gewöhnlich bitte ich Fremde nicht herein; don’t make a habit of it → lassen Sie (→ sich dat) → das nicht zur Gewohnheit werden; to get into/to get somebody into the habit of doing something → sich/jdm angewöhnen, etw zu tun; to get or fall into bad habits → in schlechte Gewohnheiten verfallen; to get out of/to get somebody out of the habit of doing something → sich/jdm abgewöhnen, etw zu tun; you must get out of the habit of biting your nails → du musst dir das Nägelkauen abgewöhnen; to have a habit of doing something → die Angewohnheit haben, etw zu tun; he has a strange habit of staring at you → er hat die merkwürdige Art, einen anzustarren; history has a habit of repeating itself → es kommt oft vor, dass die Geschichte sich wiederholt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
habit
[ˈhæbɪt] na. (customary behaviour, individual habit) → abitudine f
a bad habit → una brutta or cattiva abitudine
to be in the habit of doing sth → avere l'abitudine di fare qc
to fall into bad habits → prendere delle cattive abitudini
to get out of/into the habit of doing sth → perdere/prendere l'abitudine di fare qc
to get sb into the habit of doing sth → abituare qn a fare qc
out of sheer habit → solo per abitudine
don't make a habit of it! → che non diventi un'abitudine!
a bad habit → una brutta or cattiva abitudine
to be in the habit of doing sth → avere l'abitudine di fare qc
to fall into bad habits → prendere delle cattive abitudini
to get out of/into the habit of doing sth → perdere/prendere l'abitudine di fare qc
to get sb into the habit of doing sth → abituare qn a fare qc
out of sheer habit → solo per abitudine
don't make a habit of it! → che non diventi un'abitudine!
c. (fam) (addiction) → assuefazione
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
habit
(ˈhӕbit) noun1. something which a person does usually or regularly. the habit of going for a walk before bed; an irritating habit of interrupting.
2. a tendency to do the same things that one has always done. I did it out of habit.
3. clothes. a monk's habit.
habitual (həˈbitjuəl) adjective1. having a habit of doing, being etc (something). He's a habitual drunkard.
2. done etc regularly. He took his habitual walk before bed.
habitually (həˈbitjuəli) adverbfrom force of habit
because one is used to doing (something). I took the cigarette from force of habit.
get (someone) into the habit of, get (someone) out of the habit of to make (a person) start or stop doing (something) as a habit. I wish I could get out of the habit of biting my nails; You must get your children into the habit of cleaning their teeth.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
habit
→ عادَة zvyk vane Gewohnheit συνήθεια hábito tapa habitude navika abitudine 癖 습관 gewoonte vane zwyczaj hábito привычка vana ความเคยชิน alışkanlık thói quen 习惯Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
hab·it
n. hábito, uso, costumbre; adicción al uso de una droga o bebida;
v.
to be in the ___ of → tener la costumbre de; acostumbrarse a; habituarse;
pop. [drugs] to kick the ___ → dejar la adicción; curarse.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
habit
n hábito, costumbre f; bad — vicio, mal hábito; eating habits hábitos alimenticios, hábitos de comerEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.