accustom

Etymology

Old French acoustumer, acustumer (Modern French accoutumer) corresponding to a (“to, toward”) + custom. More at custom, costume.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ə.ˈkʌs.təm/

• Audio (US)

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Verb

accustom (third-person singular simple present accustoms, present participle accustoming, simple past and past participle accustomed)

1. (intransitive) To make familiar by use; to cause to accept; to habituate, familiarize, or inure. [+ to (object)]
   • ca. 1753, John Hawkesworth et al., Adventurer

     I shall always fear that he who accustoms himself to fraud in little things, wants only opportunity to practice it in greater.

   • 1915, Emerson Hough, The Purchase Price, chapterI:

     “[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”

2. (intransitive, obsolete) To be wont.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Carew to this entry?)

3. (intransitive, obsolete) To cohabit.
   • John Milton (1608-1674)

     We with the best men accustom openly; you with the basest commit private adulteries.

Noun

accustom (plural accustoms)

1. (obsolete) Custom.

References

• accustom in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913