Search Result for "ha*bit":

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Habit \Hab"it\ (h[a^]b"[i^]t) n. [OE. habit, abit, F. habit, fr. L. habitus state, appearance, dress, fr. habere to have, be in a condition; prob. akin to E. have. See Have, and cf. Able, Binnacle, Debt, Due, Exhibit, Malady.] 1. The usual condition or state of a person or thing, either natural or acquired, regarded as something had, possessed, and firmly retained; as, a religious habit; his habit is morose; elms have a spreading habit; esp., physical temperament or constitution; as, a full habit of body. [1913 Webster] 2. (Biol.) The general appearance and manner of life of a living organism. Specifically, the tendency of a plant or animal to grow in a certain way; as, the deciduous habit of certain trees. [1913 Webster +PJC] 3. Fixed or established custom; ordinary course of conduct; practice; usage; hence, prominently, the involuntary tendency or aptitude to perform certain actions which is acquired by their frequent repetition; as, habit is second nature; also, peculiar ways of acting; characteristic forms of behavior. [1913 Webster] A man of very shy, retired habits. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster] 4. Outward appearance; attire; dress; hence, a garment; esp., a closely fitting garment or dress worn by ladies; as, a riding habit. [1913 Webster] Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy. --Shak. [1913 Webster] There are, among the statues, several of Venus, in different habits. --Addison. 5. Hence: The distinctive clothing worn commonly by nuns or monks; as, in the late 1900's many orders of nuns discarded their habits and began to dress as ordinary lay women. [PJC] Syn: Practice; mode; manner; way; custom; fashion. Usage: Habit, Custom. Habit is a disposition or tendency leading us to do easily, naturally, and with growing certainty, what we do often; custom is external, being habitual use or the frequent repetition of the same act. The two operate reciprocally on each other. The custom of giving produces a habit of liberality; habits of devotion promote the custom of going to church. Custom also supposes an act of the will, selecting given modes of procedure; habit is a law of our being, a kind of "second nature" which grows up within us. [1913 Webster] How use doth breed a habit in a man! --Shak. [1913 Webster] He who reigns . . . upheld by old repute, Consent, or custom --Milton. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Habit \Hab"it\ (h[a^]b"[i^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Habited; p. pr. & vb. n. Habiting.] [OE. habiten to dwell, F. habiter, fr. L. habitare to have frequently, to dwell, intens. fr. habere to have. See Habit, n.] 1. To inhabit. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] In thilke places as they [birds] habiten. --Rom. of R. [1913 Webster] 2. To dress; to clothe; to array. [1913 Webster] They habited themselves like those rural deities. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 3. To accustom; to habituate. [Obs.] --Chapman. [1913 Webster]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

168 Moby Thesaurus words for "habit": a habit, accouter, acquired tolerance, acute alcoholism, addictedness, addiction, alcoholism, amphetamine withdrawal symptoms, apparel, array, attire, attitude, automatism, bad habit, barbiturate addiction, barbiturism, bedizenment, bent, bib and tucker, body-build, brand, caparison, cast, chain smoking, character, characteristic, characteristics, chronic alcoholism, clothes, clothing, cocainism, complexion, composition, compulsion, constituents, constitution, convention, costume, crash, crasis, craving, creature of habit, custom, dependence, dharma, diathesis, dipsomania, disguise, disposition, drapery, dress, dressing, drug addiction, drug culture, drug dependence, duds, equip, ethos, fashion, fatigues, feathers, fiber, fig, fit, fit out, force of habit, frame, frame of mind, frock, garb, garments, gear, genius, grain, guise, habiliment, habiliments, habit pattern, habituation, habitude, hue, humor, humors, idiosyncrasy, ilk, inclination, investiture, investment, kind, linen, livery, makeup, manner, mannerism, masquerade, minauderie, mode, mold, nature, nicotine addiction, outfit, pattern, peculiar trait, peculiarity, penchant, physical dependence, physique, policy, practice, praxis, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, property, psychological dependence, quality, quirk, rags, raiment, regalia, rig, rig out, rig up, robes, routine, rule, second nature, somatotype, sort, spirit, sportswear, stamp, stereotype, stereotyped behavior, streak, stripe, style, suchness, suit, system, temper, temperament, tendency, tenor, threads, togs, toilette, tolerance, tone, trademark, trick, trick of behavior, trim, turn out, type, uniform, usage, use, vein, vestment, vestments, vesture, way, wear, wearing apparel, withdrawal sickness, withdrawal symptoms, wont
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

HABIT, n. A shackle for the free.