Definition of “habit” - English Dictionary

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“habit” in English

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habitnoun

uk ​ /ˈhæb.ɪt/ us ​ /ˈhæb.ɪt/

habit noun (REPEATED ACTION)

B1 [ C or U ] something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it:

I always buy the same brand of toothpaste out of (= because of) habit.
I'm trying not to get into (= start) the habit of always having biscuits with my coffee.
I used to swim twice a week, but I seem to have got out of (= ended) the habit recently.
I was taught to drive by my boyfriend and I'm afraid I've picked up (= caught) some of his bad habits.
I'm trying to get him to break (= end intentionally) the habit of switching on the TV when he comes home at night.
I don't mind being woken up once or twice in the middle of the night by my flatmate so long as she doesn't make a habit of it (= do it frequently).
I'm not really in the habit of looking at (= I don't usually look at) other people's clothes, but even I noticed that awful suit!

B2 [ C ] something annoying that someone often does:

She has a habit of finishing off other people's sentences.

B2 [ C ] a strong physical need to keep taking a particular drug:

a cocaine habit
figurative humorous I'm afraid I've got a chocolate habit.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

(Definition of “habit” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“habit” in American English

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habitnoun [ C/U ]

us ​ /ˈhæb·ɪt/

› a particular act or way of acting that you tend to do regularly:

[ U ] Judy is in the habit of sleeping late on Sundays.
[ U ] I have the habit of checking my e-mail as soon as I log on to my computer.
[ C ] Eating between meals is a bad habit.

(Definition of “habit” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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