Part 668

The haberdasher heapeth wealth by hats.

Gascoigne.

2. A dealer in drapery goods of various descriptions, as laces, silks, trimmings, etc.

Hab"er*dash`er*y (-), n. The goods and wares sold by a haberdasher; also (Fig.), trifles. Burke.

Hab`er*dine" (hb`r*dn" or h"br*dn), n. [D. abberdaan, labberdaan; or a French form, cf. OF. habordeau, from the name of a Basque district, cf. F. Labourd, adj. Labourdin. The l was misunderstood as the French article.] A cod salted and dried. Ainsworth.

Ha*ber"ge*on (h*br"j*n or hb"r*jn), n. [F. haubergeon a small hauberk, dim. of OF. hauberc, F. haubert. See Hauberk.] Properly, a short hauberk, but often used loosely for the hauberk. Chaucer.

Hab"i*la*to*ry (hb"*l*t*r), a. Of or pertaining to clothing; wearing clothes. Ld. Lytton.

Hab"ile (hb"l), a. [F. habile, L. habilis. See Able, Habit.] Fit; qualified; also, apt. [Obs.] Spenser.

Ha*bil"i*ment (h*bl"*ment), n. [F. habillement, fr. habiller to dress, clothe, orig., to make fit, make ready, fr. habile apt, skillful, L. habilis. See Habile.] 1. A garment; an article of clothing. Camden.

2. pl. Dress, in general. Shak.

Ha*bil"i*ment*ed, a. Clothed. Taylor (1630).

Ha*bil"i*tate (-tt), a. [LL. habilitatus, p. p. of habilitare to enable.] Qualified or entitled. [Obs.] Bacon.

Ha*bil"i*tate (-tt), v. t. To fit out; to equip; to qualify; to entitle. Johnson.

Ha*bil`i*ta"tion (-t"shn), n. [LL. habilitatio: cf. F. habilitation.] Equipment; qualification. [Obs.] Bacon.

Ha*bil"i*ty (h*bl"*t), n. [See Ability.] Ability; aptitude. [Obs.] Robynson (More's Utopia).

Hab"it (hb"t) n. [OE. habit, abit, F. habit fr. L. habitus state, appearance, dress, fr. habere to have, be in a condition; prob. akin to E. have. See Have, and cf. Able, Binnacle, Debt, Due, Exhibit, Malady.] 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. (Biol.) The general appearance and manner of life of a living organism.

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.

W. Irving.

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.

Shak.

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

Addison.

Syn. -- Practice; mode; manner; way; custom; fashion. -- Habit, Custom. Habit is a disposition or tendency leading us to do easily, naturally, and with growing certainty, what we do often; custom is external, being habitual use or the frequent repetition of the same act. The two operate reciprocally on each other. The custom of giving produces a habit of liberality; habits of devotion promote the custom of going to church. Custom also supposes an act of the will, selecting given modes of procedure; habit is a law of our being, a kind of "second nature" which grows up within us.

How use doth breed a habit in a man !

Shak.