hab‧it S3 W3 / hæbət, hæbɪt / 名词

1 usual/regular [可数和不可数名词] something that you do regularly or usually, often without thinking about it because you have done it so many times before :

Regular exercise is a good habit.

Thinking negatively can become a habit.

She has a habit of playing with her hair when she’s nervous.

Some people drink alcohol as much from habit as from desire.

by/from/out of habit (= because this is what you usually do in this situation )

I did it out of habit.

2 drugs [可数名词] a strong physical need to keep taking a drug regularly :

A lot of drug addicts get into petty crime to support their habit.

heroin/cocaine etc habit

His cocaine habit ruined him physically and financially.

3 not make a habit of (doing) something spoken used to say that someone does not usually do something bad or wrong, or should not do it again :

You’re ten minutes late. I hope you’re not going to make a habit of this.

4 I’m not in the habit of doing something spoken used when you are annoyed, to say that you would not do something :

I’m not in the habit of lying to my friends.

5 have a habit of doing something if something has a habit of doing something, it usually or often does it – used humorously :

Life has a habit of springing surprises.

6 old habits die hard used to say that it is difficult to make people change their attitudes or behaviour :

She knew it probably wasn’t necessary any more, but old habits die hard.

7 habit of thought/mind the way someone usually thinks about something, or their usual attitudes

8 clothing [可数名词] a long loose piece of clothing worn by people in some religious groups :

a nun’s habit

→ a creature of habit at creature ( 3 )

COLLOCATIONS

动词

have a habit (of doing something) He has a habit of being late.

something becomes a habit Once you you have been driving for a few weeks, it becomes a habit.

get into a habit (= start doing something regularly or often ) Try to get into the habit of walking for 30 minutes each day.

get out of a habit (= stop doing something regularly or often ) She couldn’t get out of the habit of saying ‘sorry’.

break/kick a habit (= stop doing something that is bad for you ) I’ve smoked for years, but I really want to kick the habit.

develop/form a habit I developed a habit of eating porridge for breakfast.

change your habits It’s sometimes difficult for people to change their habits.

形容词

a good/bad habit Eating healthy food as snacks is a good habit to get into.

eating/drinking habits (= the kinds of things you eat or drink regularly ) You need to change your eating habits.

buying/spending habits (= the kinds of things you buy regularly ) The recession will mean that many people will be changing their spending habits.

viewing habits (= the kinds of television shows you regularly watch ) Parents try to control their children’s viewing habits.

sexual habits (= what you normally do in sexual relationships ) a survey of the sexual habits of gay men

personal habits (= the things you normally do each day, for example keeping yourself clean or whether you smoke ) Some of his personal habits were unpleasant.

social habits (= the things people normally do when they are with other people ) Television changed some of our social habits.

an annoying/unpleasant/nasty habit He had the unpleasant habit of eating with his mouth open.

a strange/peculiar/odd habit He had a lot of peculiar habits, one of them being to stare at you without blinking.

短语

be in the habit of doing something On Friday evenings Carrie was in the habit of visiting her parents.

(by/from) force of habit (= used about a habit that is difficult to change ) I still walk by his house each day - force of habit, I suppose.

change/break the habits of a lifetime (= stop doing the things you have done for many years ) It is hard to change the habits of a lifetime, but you must eat more healthily or you will have a heart attack.

have the unfortunate habit of doing something (= do something that makes other people feel embarrassed or offended ) Teenage girls have the unfortunate habit of laughing too loudly.

THESAURUS

habit something you do regularly, often without thinking about it : Biting your nails is a bad habit. | I always go to the same supermarket, out of habit.

mannerism a way of speaking or a small movement of your face or body that is part of your usual behaviour : Even her mannerisms are the same as her sister’s.

custom something that people in a particular society do because it is traditional or the accepted thing to do : In Japan it is the custom to take off your shoes when you enter a house.

tradition a belief, custom, or way of doing something that has existed for a long time : The tradition of giving Easter eggs goes back hundreds of years. | In many countries, it’s a tradition for the bride to wear white. | It was a family tradition to go for a walk on Christmas Day.

practice something that people often do, especially as part of their work or daily life : The hotel has ended the practice of leaving chocolates in guests’ rooms.