Habit — Defs

01 n. The usual condition or state of a person or thing, either natural or acquired, regarded as something had, possessed, and firmly retained; a…

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.
The general appearance and manner of life of a living organism.(Biol.)
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.
5.
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.
“How use doth breed a habit in a man!” — Shak.

“He who reigns . . . upheld by old repute, Consent, or custom” — Milton.

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.

02 v. t. To inhabit.

imp. & p. p. Habited; p. pr. & vb. n. Habiting

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.]