Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913 + 1828)

Displaying 2 result(s) from the 1913 edition:

Habit (Page: 661)

Hab"it (#) n. [OE. habit, abit fr. 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 states, 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.

Habit (Page: 661)

Hab"it (?), v. t. [ 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 lite those rural deities. Dryden.

3. To accustom; to habituate. [Obs.] Chapman.

Displaying 1 result(s) from the 1828 edition:

HAB''IT, n. [L. habitus, from habeo,to have to hold. See Have.]

1. Garb; dress; clothes or garments in general.

The scenes are old, the habits are the same,

We wore last year.

There are among the statues, several of Venus,

in different habits.

2. A coat worn by ladies over other garments.

3. State of any thing; implying some continuance or permanence; temperament or particular state of a body, formed by nature or induced by extraneous circumstances; as a costive or lax habit of body; a sanguine habit.

4. A disposition or condition of the mind or body acquired by custom or a frequent repetition of the same act. Habit is that which is held or retained, the effect of custom or frequent repetition. Hence we speak of good habits and bad habits.

Frequent drinking of spirits leads to a habit of intemperance. We should endeavor to correct evil habits by a change of practice. A great point in the education of children, is to prevent the formation of bad habits.

Habit of plants, the general form or appearance, or the conformity of plants of the same kind in structure and growth.

HAB''IT, v.t. To dress; to clothe; to array.

They habited themselves like rural deities.

HAB''IT, v.t. To dwell; to inhabit.