habit

creature of habit

One who prefers the comfort and reliability of routine and habitual behavior. My brother is far too much a creature of habit to be up for something like backpacking across Europe. I know we're told to shuck our routines and live spontaneously, but I'm a creature of habit—it's just easier when you know exactly how each day will pan out.

break a habit

and break the habit; break one's habit

to end a habit. I was not able to break the habit of snoring. It's hard to break a habit that you have had for a long time.

by force of habit

owing to a tendency to do something that has become a habit. After I retired, I kept getting up and getting dressed each morning by force of habit.

kick a habit

and kick the habit; shake the habit; shake a habit

to break a habit. It's hard to kick a habit, but it can be done. I stopped biting my nails. I used to drink coffee every morning, but I kicked the habit.

See also: habit, kick

knock the habit

to stop using drugs; to break a drug addiction. I just can't knock the habit. He tried to knock the habit by drinking lots of booze.

make a habit of something

to do something so often that it becomes a habit. You mustn't make a habit of interrupting. I make a habit of counting my change.

Old habits die hard.

Prov. People find it difficult to change their accustomed behavior. Joan retired last year, but she still gets up as early as she used to when she had to go to work. Old habits die hard.

kick the habit

to stop smoking cigarettes Researchers said smokers who kicked the habit would have much less chance of developing cancer.

Usage notes: sometimes used about other bad habits: He sort of let drugs take over his life, and made only occasional efforts to kick the habit.

See also: habit, kick

Why break the habit of a lifetime?

(British & Australian humorous)

something that you say which means that you do not believe that someone will stop doing something bad that they have done all their lives 'I must stop writing my essays the night before the deadline.' 'Why break the habit of a lifetime?'

See make or break

force of habit

if someone does something from force of habit, they do it without thinking because they have done it so often before Even though he's gone she still keeps laying the table for two - force of habit, I guess.

kick the habit

(informal)

to stop doing something that is difficult to stop doing, especially taking drugs, smoking, or drinking alcohol No coffee for me, thanks. I'm trying to kick the habit. 'Does she still smoke?' 'No, she kicked the habit a couple of years ago.'

See also: habit, kick

kick a habit

Also, kick it; kick the habit. Overcome or give up habitual use, especially of narcotics. For example, Smoking is addictive; it's not easy to kick, or If he doesn't kick the habit, he may not make it through school. This idiom uses kick in the sense of "get rid of." [First half of 1900s]

See also: habit, kick

habit

n. an addiction to a drug. There are many treatment programs to help with drug habits.

kick the habit

tv. to voluntarily end any habit or custom, especially a drug habit. (see also knock the habit.) She tried and tried to kick the habit.

See also: habit, kick

knock the habit

tv. to stop using drugs; to break a drug addiction. (see also kick the habit.) I just can’t knock the habit.

mickey mouse habit

n. a trivial drug habit. (Drugs.) Nothing to it. Just a little mickey mouse habit. I can stop any time I want.

nose habit

n. an addiction to sniffed drugs, usually heroin or cocaine. (Drugs.) One sniff of that white powder and she’ll get a nose habit, for sure.

kick the habit

Slang

To free oneself of an addiction, as to narcotics or cigarettes.

See also: habit, kick

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Danihel	-	Biblical Latin
Venceslao	-	Italian
Joanna	jo-AN-ə (English), yaw-AHN-nah (Polish)	English, Polish, Biblical
Karen (1)	KAH-ren (Danish), KER-ən (English), KAR-ən (English)	Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, English
Eder (2)	-	Basque
Bran (1)	BRAN	Irish, Irish Mythology