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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

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.
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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.
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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.
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A man of very shy, retired habits. --W. Irving.
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4. Outward appearance; attire; dress; hence, a garment; esp.,
a closely fitting garment or dress worn by ladies; as, a
riding habit.
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Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy. --Shak.
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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.
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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.
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How use doth breed a habit in a man! --Shak.
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He who reigns . . . upheld by old repute,
Consent, or custom --Milton.
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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.]
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In thilke places as they [birds] habiten. --Rom. of
R.
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2. To dress; to clothe; to array.
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They habited themselves like those rural deities.
--Dryden.
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3. To accustom; to habituate. [Obs.] --Chapman.
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