- habit
- [[t]hæ̱bɪt[/t]]
♦♦♦habits1) N-VAR: oft N of -ing A habit is something that you do often or regularly.
He has an endearing habit of licking his lips when he's nervous...
Many people add salt to their food out of habit, without even tasting it first.
...a survey on eating habits in the UK.
2) N-COUNT: oft N of -ing A habit is an action which is considered bad that someone does repeatedly and finds it difficult to stop doing.A good way to break the habit of eating too quickly is to put your knife and fork down after each mouthful...
After twenty years as a chain smoker Mr Nathe has given up the habit.
3) N-COUNT: supp N A drug habit is an addiction to a drug such as heroin or cocaine.She became a prostitute in order to pay for her cocaine habit.
4) N-COUNT A habit is a piece of clothing shaped like a long loose dress, which a nun or monk wears.5) PHRASE: creature inflects, usu v-link PHR If you say that someone is a creature of habit, you mean that they usually do the same thing at the same time each day, rather than doing new and different things.6) PHRASE: v-link PHR -ing If you are in the habit of doing something, you do it regularly or often. If you get into the habit of doing something, you begin to do it regularly or often.They were in the habit of giving two or three dinner parties a month...
I got into the habit of calling in on Gloria on my way home from work.
7) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing/n If you make a habit of doing something, you do it regularly or often.You can phone me at work as long as you don't make a habit of it.
8) PHRASE: habit inflects If someone has a particular habit of mind, they usually think in that particular way.In accent, mannerism and habit of mind he appeared to be completely Eastern European.
English dictionary. 2008.
