habit

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.

See also: break

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.

See also: force

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: 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.

See also: knock

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.

See also: make

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.

See also: die, hard, old

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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.

See also: force

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: 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

See also: break, why

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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: kick