Hab"it (hăb"&ibreve;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.]
In thilke places as
they [birds] habiten.
Rom. of R. 2.
To dress; to clothe; to
array.
They habited themselves like those rural
deities.
Dryden. 3. To accustom; to habituate. [Obs.]
Chapman.
Hab"it (hăb"&ibreve;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.
2. (Biol.)
The general appearance and manner of life of a living organism.
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.
A man of very shy, retired habits.
W. Irving. 4. Outward appearance; attire; dress; hence, a garment; esp., a closely fitting garment or dress worn by
ladies; as, a riding habit.
Costly thy
habit as thy purse can
buy.
Shak. There are, among the statues, several of Venus, in different habits.
Addison. Syn. -- Practice; mode; manner; way; custom; fashion. -- 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.
How use doth breed a habit in a
man !
Shak. He who reigns . . . upheld by old
repute,
Consent, or custom.
Milton.
Hear it pronounced