{
    "term": "custom",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "an accepted way of behaving or of doing things in a society or a community",
            "sensetop": "according to customcustom of doing somethingit is the custom for somebody to do something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It's a **local custom**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "an ancient custom"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a burial/marriage custom"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a tribal custom"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She grew up with Chinese customs and traditions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "According to custom, one son inherited all the family property.",
                    "contextForm": "according to custom"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Widows **observed the custom** of wearing black.",
                    "contextForm": "custom of doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is the custom in that country for women to marry young.",
                    "contextForm": "it is the custom for somebody to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The custom died out in the nineteenth century."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The rules have grown up through custom and are not laid down by law."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These customs still prevail in remote areas."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They poured wine around the trees in accordance with local custom."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They still follow the custom of pinning money to the bride's dress."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is the custom here to put flowers on the graves at Easter."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The custom of using Latin for legal records came to an end."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were unfamiliar with local customs and culture."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the custom of giving presents at Christmas"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Guyanese custom dictates that the child be given a piece of gold jewellery for good luck soon after birth."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Religion and festivals"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["accepted", "age-old", "ancient"],
                "verb + custom": ["follow", "observe", "practise/​practice"],
                "custom + verb": ["die out", "disappear", "prevail"],
                "preposition": [
                    "according to a/​the custom",
                    "in accordance with (a/​the) custom",
                    "through custom"
                ],
                "phrases": ["as is/​was the custom"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the way a person always behaves",
            "labels": "(formal or literary)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It was her custom to rise early."
                },
                {
                    "text": "As was his custom, he knocked three times."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is my custom to keep my word."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were seated, as was their custom, in the summer house."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He then repeated the question, as his custom was."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "habit, practice"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the fact of a person or people buying goods or services at a shop or business",
            "labels": "(British English, formal)North American English, British English",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Thank you for your custom. Please call again."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We've lost a lot of custom since prices went up."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈkʌstəm/",
                "audio": "cu/custom/custom__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈkʌstəm/",
                "audio": "cu/custom/custom__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French coustume, based on Latin consuetudo, from consuetus, past participle of consuescere ‘accustom’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + suescere ‘become accustomed’."
}