Forms: 2–7 custume, custome, (3 kustume), 3–7 costome, (4 -toum, -tum, kostome), 4–7 custum, costom, (5 customme, costeme, 5–6 costume, 6 coustome, 4– custom. [a. OF. custume, costume 11–12th c. (later coustume, now coutume) from Romanic *costumne:—L. *costūmen, substituted for *costudne:—L. consuētūdinem. In other Romanic forms, Pr. costum, It. and Pg. costume, Sp. costumbre, masc., there is change of gender after sbs. in -ūmen; while Pr. costuma, cosdumna, It. costuma, f. med.L. coustuma, show retention of gender with assimilation of the ending to -a nouns. COSTUME is another form of the same word, of recent adoption from It., through Fr.]
1. A habitual or usual practice; common way of acting; usage, fashion, habit (either of an individual or of a community).
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 75. Bereȝe us wið alle iuele customes. Ibid., 89. It is custume þat ech chirchsocne goð þis dai a procession.
c. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xxi. 16. As hundes folus ther custom in berkyng & bitynge.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2010. On þat knew þe kostome of þe cuntre of grece.
c. 1450. trans. T. à Kempis’ Imit., I. xiv. Olde custom is harde to breke.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 162 b. Let vs not come to ye chirche by vse & custome, as the oxe to his stalle.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., B iij. Other fourmes of salutations are also in custome.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. iv. 15. It is a Custome More honour’d in the breach, then the obseruance.
1683. Evelyn, Diary, 12 Feb. Much offended at the novel costome of burying every one within the body of the Church.
1713. Berkeley, Hylas & Phil., II. Wks. I. 309. Common custom is the standard of propriety in language. Ibid. (1732), Alciphr., V. § 12. The general manners and customs of those people.
1719. Young, Revenge, IV. i. I went into the garden, As is my custom.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Briery Creek, iii. 46. The settlers … followed the old custom … of holding their market on a Saturday.
1859. Mill, Liberty, 126. The despotism of custom is everywhere the standing hindrance to human advancement.
b. The practising of anything habitually; the being or becoming accustomed.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 78. Whan a synner commeth to the custome of synne, than he falleth to contempte.
1534. Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, I. (1540), 27. Custome and practyse must be vsed, that we may be as good accompters of our offyces.
1608. Bp. Hall, Char. Vertues & Vices, II. 94. Custome of sinne hath wrought this senslesnesse.
1867. Jean Ingelow, Dreams that came true, vii. Custom makes all things easy.
† c. Of custom: according to custom, usually, as usual; also adjectivally, usual, customary. Obs.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 124. A man þat usiþ of custum sich a maner dietynge.
1556. Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden), 74. It hathe bene of ane olde costome that sent Gorge shulde be kepte holy day.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 111. For some things there be which of custome I shake off.
1688. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), II. 296. 29th Nov. I went to the Royal Society. We … dined together as of custom.
† d. Custom of women (med.L. consuetudo): menstruation. Obs.
1611. Bible, Gen. xxxi. 35. The custome of women is vpon mee.
1705. trans. Bosman’s Guinea, 210. When the Custom of Women is upon the Female Sex, they are … esteemed unclean.
e. Applied to specific usages of particular peoples; e.g., the periodical massacres in Dahome.
1820. Q. Rev., XXII. 296. Dahomeans do not make war to make slaves, but to make prisoners to kill at the Customs.
1881. Standard, 12 Nov., 5/1. The Ashantis, like the Dahomeyans, have their ‘customs’ or periodical executions.
2. Law. An established usage which by long continuance has acquired the force of a law or right, esp. the established usage of a particular locality, trade, society, or the like.
In French history applied to the special usages of different provinces and districts which had grown into a local body of law, as the custom of Normandy, of Paris, etc.
c. 1400. Test. Love, III. (1560), 293 b/1. Custome is of commen usage by length of time used, and custome nat write is usage.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., 4. Oxganges, rentes, or suche other customes as the tenauntes vse.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law (1635), 37. Having … gained a custome by use of occupying their lands, they now are called coppy holders.
1680. Morden, Geog. Rect. (1685), 22. The Common Law of England is a Collection of the General Common Custom, and Usages of the Kingdom.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 195. A Statute has the express Consent of the People, whereas a Custom has only their tacit agreement to it.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 98. Declaring, that the will of the lord was to be interpreted by the custom of the manor.
1769. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit., II. 409. Stafford … This Town retains the antient Custom of Borough English.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), I. 360. Every species of waste … not warranted by the custom of the manor.
1864. Kirk, Chas. Bold, I. II. li. 500. The ‘customs’ of Liége—that is to say, its constitution and its laws—were … forever abrogated.
† 3. Customary service due by feudal tenants to their lord; customary rent paid in kind or in money; any customary tax or tribute paid to a lord or ruler. Obs. in actual use.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 11. Ne costom no seruise of þing þat he forgaf.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 7984. The monkes possessiouns made he Fra all seruice and customes fre.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., Prol. What rentes, customes, and seruice he ought to haue of them [the tenants].
1535. Coverdale, Ezra iv. 13. Then shal not they geue tribute, toll, and yearly custome.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IV. (1682), 152. He disannulled all the exactions … upon his tributary Christian subjects; and cancelled the custom or tythe of their male children.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 97. Custome is also used … for such services as Tenants of a Manor owe unto their Lord.
c. 1730. Burt, Lett. N. Scotl. (1818), II. 52. Their rent is chiefly paid in kind…; such as barley, oatmeal, and what they call customs, as sheep, lambs, poultry, butter, &c.
4. Tribute, toll, impost, or duty, levied by the lord or local authority upon commodities on their way to market; esp. that levied in the name of the king or sovereign authority upon merchandise exported from or imported into his dominions; now levied only upon imports from foreign countries. The Customs: the duties levied upon imports as a branch of the public revenue; the department of the Civil Service employed in levying these duties. (Now rarely in singular, and never with a.)
In this sense the OE. name was toll (Ger. zoll); consuetudo occurs in Magna Carta, custuma in med.L. passim. In early times the customs were distinguished as magna custuma, ‘the great custom,’ levied upon exports and imports, and parva custuma, ‘the little custom,’ levied upon goods taken to market within the realm.
[c. 1325. Iter Camerarii i. (Sc. Statutes), Braxiatores, carnifices, custumarios magne et parue custume. 15th c. Sc. transl. Breustaris, fleschewaris, custumaris alswel of greit custom as of small custum.]
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xvi. 75. Þe emperour takez mare of þat citee [Tabreez] to customez of marchandise þan þe ricchest Cristen king … may dispend.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 111. Custum, kyngys dute, custuma.
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., c. 8. Pream., Paying less Custume for the Lokkys then for the hole wollyn Flese.
1534. Tindale, Matt. ix. 9. He sawe a man syt a receyuinge of custome, named Mathew.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 271. Customes are these which are paide of Merchaundises, and of those things which are either carried out or brought in.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 152. Custumers of the litill custum (that is, of gudes cumand to the market).
1669–70. Marvell, Corr., cxl. Wks. 1872–5, II. 311. Setting an high custom upon all forain Corn.
1710. Swift, Jrnl. Stella, Oct., 10 § 19. The handkerchiefs will be put in some friend’s pocket, not to pay custom.
1766. C. Leadbetter, Royal Gauger (ed. 6), II. ix. 333. The Commissioners of the Customs are to pay into the Exchequer the remaining Part of the Produce of such Seizure made by the Officers of the Customs.
1838–42. Arnold, Hist. Rome (1846), III. xliii. 114. Collectors of customs and port duties.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. ix. 196. Among the permanent taxes, the most considerable are the customs … and the excise duty.
5. The practice of customarily resorting to a particular shop, place of entertainment, etc., to make purchases or give orders; business patronage or support.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. iii. 99. Go hop me ouer euery kennell home, For you shall hop without my custome sir.
1664. Pepys, Diary, 31 March. A tailor, whom I have presented my custom.
1669. Bunyan, Holy Citie, 17. What wonderful custom the Church of God at this day shall have among all sorts of People, for her Heavenly Treasures.
1729. Swift, Modest Proposal. This food would likewise bring great Custom to taverns.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Brooke Farm, vii. 88. They ran in debt to the grocer till he refused their custom.
1893. Law Times, XCV. 5/2. Other persons who had been customers discontinued their custom.
6. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 1) custom-generated, -governed adjs.; (sense 2–3) custom law, -service; (sense 4) custom-collector, -gatherer; customs duties, laws, etc.; CUSTOM-HOUSE; (sense 5) custom-shrunk adj., -work; † custom-day, ? a day on which a customary service is rendered by a tenant; custom-free a., free from custom, toll or tribute; free from custom duty; custom-mill, (a) a mill belonging to a feudal proprietor at which his tenants are obliged to grind their corn, paying ‘custom’ for the accommodation; (b) a mill that grinds for customers; custom-office = CUSTOM-HOUSE; † custom-sick a., morbidly snbject to custom or habit.
c. 1688–9. in Maidment, Sc. Pasquils (1868), 263. Our new kings vicegerent … More fitt to be a factor or *custome collector.
1518. Rental Bk., in Trans. Kilkenny Archæol. Soc., Ser. II. IV. 123. A *custom day on every howse to ripp bind & drawe.
1845. McCulloch, Taxation, II. v. (1852), 234. *Customs duties existed in England previously to the Conquest.
1878. Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., 128. The customs duties levied upon wine, spirits, tobacco … when they are imported.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 80.
| A Bill of Store to take up a Degree, | |
| With all the Learning to it, *Custom-free. |
1810. in Risdon’s Surv. Devon, App. 17. Towns … free from Tax and Toll, such as we … call Custom-free.
1656. Trapp, Comm. Luke iii. 12. These [publicans] were toll takers, *custom-gatherers for the Romans.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 71. The … *Custome law, that (by the particular custome of Manors and Towns) lands should be divided by the custome of Gavel kinde.
1703. Lond. Gaz., No. 3898/4. The Manor and Royalty of Bovey-Tracy, with the Fairs, Markets, and *Custom Mills.
1888. Eissler, Metal. Gold, 33. At custom-mills the quartz is delivered in wagons.
1844. H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, I. 25. The Company’s *custom-offices on the opposite bank.
1676. H. Phillips, Purch. Pattern, 2. What *Custom-service hath been done of old By those who formerly the same did hold.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., I. ii. 85. What with the gallowes, and what with pouerty, I am *Custom-shrunke.
1634. W. Wood, New Eng. Prosp., II. iv. They are not a little phantasticall or *custom-sick in this particular.
1884. N. Y. Herald, 27 Oct., 746. Wanted—tailoress on first class *custom work.
