habit */*/*/

UK [ˈhæbɪt] / US noun
Word forms "habit":
singular habit plural habits

1) [countable/uncountable] something that you do often or regularly, often without thinking about it

healthy eating habits

a good/bad habit:

He had acquired some rather bad habits at college.

be in the habit of doing something:

They were in the habit of going for long walks.

get in/into the habit of doing something:

George has got into the habit of going to bed late.

out of habit/from force of habit (= because it is what you usually do):

Whenever I walk by her building I look up at her window from sheer force of habit.

a) [countable] something that you often do without intending to or without realizing that you are doing it, which can annoy other people

have the habit of doing something:

He had the annoying habit of tapping the table when he was nervous.

b) [countable] a physical need to do something regularly such as smoke cigarettes or take drugs

He started stealing to finance his heroin habit.

kick/break the habit (= stop it):

Over 10 million smokers have succeeded in kicking the habit.

•

Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with habit
▪  annoying, bad, dirty, disgusting, filthy, unfortunate

2) [countable] a simple dress worn by nuns and other members of religious communities

•

habit of mind/thought — a usual way of thinking about something

Low expectations can become a habit of mind.

not make a habit of doing something/not be in the habit of doing something — used for saying that you do not usually do something that you have just done

I don't make a habit of calling on clients unannounced.

- old habits die hard