Travel / B1

KUST-uh-mz/ˈkʌstəmz/

Customs (usually plural in form) are the officials and rules that control goods at the border. Custom is a tradition (already in the dictionary) — a high-frequency mix-up. HMRC / Border Force: customs seized the cigarettes at Dover.

Meaning

The officials and rules that control goods entering a country.

Examples

• “Customs seized the cigarettes at Dover.”
• “A local custom is a tradition; customs at Dover check the boot of the car.”

Good to know

customs (border). Mix-up: a custom (tradition). Related: a customer (buyer). Travel / post-Brexit goods. Goes with a singular or plural verb in news; treat as an organisation.

Topics

New