custom
custom — adjective
- custompositive
- more customcomparative
- most customsuperlative
1. created to meet one specific buyer's requirements — such as a suit cut to your e
created to meet one specific buyer's requirements — such as a suit cut to your exact body measurements, or a program written only for one company's operations.
Vinícius ordered a custom suit with a velvet collar for his wedding day.
custom + noun for bespoke products
The restaurant uses a custom coffee blend that is roasted just for them.
Mei asked a carpenter to build a custom bookshelf that fits the corner of her room.
A custom wedding invitation set costs more than a standard printed one.
The team developed custom software to track deliveries across the city.
- bespoke
British English; implies high-quality tailoring or craftsmanship
- tailor-made
common for both clothing and abstract solutions (e.g., a tailor-made plan)
- made-to-order
focuses on the ordering process rather than the design aspect
- ready-made
available in standard sizes or designs, not made for an individual
- off-the-shelf
standardized products that are not personalized
文法句型
custom + noun
用法筆記
Always used before a noun. This sense is typical of product descriptions (clothing, furniture, software, machinery). Not used for services or experiences.
常見錯誤
custom — adverb
1. placed before a past participle to indicate that something was made to fit one c
placed before a past participle to indicate that something was made to fit one client's needs — for instance, a custom-built house with rooms arranged exactly as the owners requested.
The kitchen cabinets were custom-built to match the farmhouse style.
custom + built (past participle)
Each piece of furniture in the hotel lobby is custom-made by local artists.
Hannah's engagement ring was custom-designed with a sapphire at the centre.
The software was custom-written for the hospital's patient records system.
- bespoke
adjective, not adverbial; cannot form compounds like 'bespoke-built'
文法句型
custom + past participle (custom-built / custom-made / custom-designed)
用法筆記
Attaches only to past participles to form compound adjectives. The resulting compound is usually hyphenated (custom-built, custom-made). Do not use before an -ing form: 'custom-building' is non-standard.
常見錯誤
custom — noun
- customsingular
- customsplural
1. a pattern of conduct or an idea that a community has followed for generations —
a pattern of conduct or an idea that a community has followed for generations — for example, removing your shoes before stepping into a home in Japan.
In Ayana's village, it is the custom to invite all the neighbours to wedding celebrations.
it is the custom to + infinitive
The custom of giving red envelopes during the New Year is centuries old.
the custom of + gerund
Local customs require visitors to remove their shoes before entering a home.
The custom of afternoon tea started in Britain over two hundred years ago.
Learning about another country's customs helps travelers avoid embarrassing mistakes.
- tradition
stronger implication of long history and cultural importance; more formal
- practice
broader, can refer to any regular activity, not necessarily traditional
- convention
implies an unwritten rule based on general agreement rather than deep tradition
- innovation
a new idea or method that breaks from established patterns
文法句型
it is the custom (for someone) to do something
the custom of doing something
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 2 (HABIT): this sense describes group or societal practices, not individual routines. A 'custom' is shared by many people; a 'habit' is personal.
常見錯誤
2. something that a person regularly does, especially as part of their daily life —
something that a person regularly does, especially as part of their daily life — for instance, making it your custom to read for half an hour before falling asleep.
It was Andrei's custom to take a short walk along the river after dinner.
it is someone's custom to + infinitive (personal routine)
Hugo has a custom of writing down three good things each night before sleep.
Shirin's morning custom includes a cup of green tea and fifteen minutes of quiet reading.
The old man's custom of feeding the park birds began after he retired from work.
Following the same custom each morning helped Tara feel calm before a busy school day.
- exception
something that breaks a regular pattern
文法句型
it is someone's custom to do something
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (TRADITION): this sense describes an individual's routine, not a social convention. Common in the pattern 'it is/was someone's custom to + infinitive'.
常見錯誤
3. the regular buying of goods or services from a particular business, especially a
the regular buying of goods or services from a particular business, especially a small, local one — for example, a bakery that depends on the custom of people living nearby.
The bakery relies on the custom of local families who buy bread every morning.
rely on someone's custom
"We appreciate your custom," said the shop owner as Amihan paid for her groceries.
The café lost custom after the new coffee shop opened across the street.
Small stores on the high street need steady custom from local people to stay in business.
文法句型
someone's custom
用法筆記
Primarily British English. 'Patronage' is the closest American equivalent. The phrase 'thank you for your custom' is a polite formula used by shopkeepers and service providers.
常見錯誤
4. the checkpoint at an airport, harbour, or national boundary where officials insp
the checkpoint at an airport, harbour, or national boundary where officials inspect luggage and travel papers to catch items that are not allowed into the country.
When their flight landed in Tokyo, the family waited forty minutes in line at customs.
at customs (place)
The officer at customs asked Roya to open her suitcase for a routine inspection.
Travelers must declare expensive electronics when they pass through customs.
The airport expanded the customs area last year to handle more passengers each day.
- border control
broader, includes passport and immigration checks
- customs checkpoint
more specific, names the physical location
文法句型
through customs
at customs
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form 'customs' with a singular verb (e.g., 'Customs is at the arrivals hall'). 'Customs' in this sense refers to the physical location and the agency, not the tax. Distinguish from sense 5 (TAX).
常見錯誤
5. taxes that must be paid to the government on goods brought into a country from a
taxes that must be paid to the government on goods brought into a country from abroad — for example, paying customs on a shipment of electronics from another country.
The company paid high customs duties on the electronic parts imported from Japan.
customs duties (tax on imports)
New customs regulations require all imported food products to be inspected before sale.
The government raised customs on foreign cars to encourage people to buy local brands.
Shipping goods across the border involves paying both value-added tax and customs.
- import duty
more formal, specific to international trade law
- tariff
a schedule or system of such taxes, often used in trade policy discussions
文法句型
customs duty/duties
pay customs on something
用法筆記
Always plural, taking a plural verb (e.g., 'Customs on luxury goods have increased'). 'Customs duty' or 'customs duties' are the specific terms for individual import taxes. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense refers to the tax itself, not the physical checkpoint.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Customs are the place where they check your bags.' — This is sense 4, not sense 5. Sense 5 is about the tax, not the location.