Habit /(hăb"ĭt)/

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.

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.

   There are, among the statues, several of Venus, in different habits.

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!

   He who reigns . . . upheld by old repute, Consent, or custom

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

1. To inhabit. [Obs.]

   In thilke places as they [birds] habiten.

2. To dress; to clothe; to array.

   They habited themselves like those rural deities.

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