custom

[kuhs-tuh m] /ˈkʌs təm/
noun
1.
a habitual practice; the usual way of acting in given circumstances.
2.
habits or usages collectively; convention.
3.
a practice so long established that it has the force of law.
4.
such practices collectively.
5.
Sociology. a group pattern of habitual activity usually transmitted from one generation to another.
6.
toll; duty.
7.
customs.
  1. (used with a singular or plural verb) duties imposed by law on imported or, less commonly, exported goods.
  2. (used with a singular verb) the government department that collects these duties.
  3. (used with a singular verb) the section of an airport, station, etc., where baggage is checked for contraband and for goods subject to duty.
8.
regular patronage of a particular shop, restaurant, etc.
9.
the customers or patrons of a business firm, collectively.
10.
the aggregate of customers.
11.
(in medieval Europe) a customary tax, tribute, or service owed by peasants to their lord.
adjective
12.
made specially for individual customers:
custom shoes.
13.
dealing in things so made, or doing work to order:
a custom tailor.
Origin
1150-1200; Middle English custume < Anglo-French; Old French costume < Vulgar Latin *co(n)s(uē)tūmin-, replacing Latin consuētūdin- (stem of consuētūdō), equivalent to consuēt(us) accustomed, past participle of consuēscere (con- con- + suē- (akin to suus one's own) + -tus past participle suffix) + -ūdin- noun suffix; cf. costume
Synonyms
1, 2. Custom, habit, practice mean an established way of doing things. Custom, applied to a community or to an individual, implies a more or less permanent continuance of a social usage: It is the custom to give gifts at Christmas time. Habit, applied particularly to an individual, implies such repetition of the same action as to develop a natural, spontaneous, or rooted tendency or inclination to perform it: to make a habit of reading the newspapers. Practice applies to a set of fixed habits or an ordered procedure in conducting activities: It is his practice to verify all statements.
Examples from the web for customs
  • customs duties have fallen as trade barriers have been reduced.
  • Income taxes are more efficient than customs duties, but require a bigger initial bureaucracy.
  • It is not unusual for even long-serving administrators to be treated as non-native guests who need to learn the local customs.
  • customs tariffs were kept low, and foreign merchants welcomed.
  • The different odors the elephants are perceiving may be caused by differences in diet or other customs.
  • customs inspectors may have simply missed a smuggled bomb or batch of missiles.
  • In one episode, customs finds a human skull shipped through the mail.
  • If you are interviewing at a sectarian university, be sensitive to its customs.
  • For every case of ivory that is discovered by police it is anyone's guess how many slip through customs.
  • When returning from abroad, you must complete a customs declaration form.
British Dictionary definitions for customs

customs

/ˈkʌstəmz/
noun (functioning as singular or pl)
1.
duty on imports or exports
2.
the government department responsible for the collection of these duties
3.
the part of a port, airport, frontier station, etc, where baggage and freight are examined for dutiable goods and contraband
4.
the procedure for examining baggage and freight, paying duty, etc
5.
(as modifier): customs officer

custom

/ˈkʌstəm/
noun
1.
a usual or habitual practice; typical mode of behaviour
2.
the long-established habits or traditions of a society collectively; convention: custom dictates good manners
3.
  1. a practice which by long-established usage has come to have the force of law
  2. such practices collectively (esp in the phrase custom and practice)
4.
habitual patronage, esp of a shop or business
5.
the customers of a shop or business collectively
6.
(in feudal Europe) a tribute paid by a vassal to his lord
adjective
7.
made to the specifications of an individual customer (often in the combinations custom-built, custom-made)
8.
specializing in goods so made
See also customs
Word Origin
C12: from Old French costume, from Latin consuētūdō, from consuēscere to grow accustomed to, from suēscere to be used to
Word Origin and History for customs

custom

n.

c.1200, "habitual practice," from Old French costume "custom, habit, practice; clothes, dress" (12c., Modern French coutume), from Vulgar Latin *consuetumen, from Latin consuetudinem (nominative consuetudo) "habit, usage, way, practice, tradition, familiarity," from consuetus, past participle of consuescere "accustom," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + suescere "become used to, accustom oneself," related to sui, genitive of suus "oneself," from PIE *swe- "oneself" (see idiom). Replaced Old English þeaw. Sense of a "regular" toll or tax on goods is early 14c. The native word here is toll.

adj.

"made to measure or order," c.1830, from custom (n.).

customs in the Bible

a tax imposed by the Romans. The tax-gatherers were termed publicans (q.v.), who had their stations at the gates of cities, and in the public highways, and at the place set apart for that purpose, called the "receipt of custom" (Matt.9: 9; Mark 2:14), where they collected the money that was to be paid on certain goods (Matt.17:25). These publicans were tempted to exact more from the people than was lawful, and were, in consequence of their extortions, objects of great hatred. The Pharisees would have no intercourse with them (Matt.5:46, 47; 9:10, 11). A tax or tribute (q.v.) of half a shekel was annually paid by every adult Jew for the temple. It had to be paid in Jewish coin (Matt. 22:17-19; Mark 12:14, 15). Money-changers (q.v.) were necessary, to enable the Jews who came up to Jerusalem at the feasts to exchange their foreign coin for Jewish money; but as it was forbidden by the law to carry on such a traffic for emolument (Deut. 23:19, 20), our Lord drove them from the temple (Matt. 21:12: Mark 11:15).