Definition of customs noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

customs

noun

/ˈkʌstəmz/

[plural]

(usually Customs)

(British English also Revenue and Customs)
the government department that collects taxes on goods bought and sold and on goods brought into the country, and that checks what is brought in
- The Customs have seized large quantities of smuggled heroin.
- French Customs have arrested two men.
- a customs officer
North American English uses a singular verb with customs in this meaning.
Extra Examples
- We had to fill out customs forms on the plane.
- We were waiting for the goods to receive customs clearance.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- French
- UK
- US
- …
verb + customs
- clear
- go through
- wave somebody through
- …
customs + noun
- controls
- regulations
- duty
- …
preposition
- at customs
- through customs
See full entry
Definitions on the go

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the place at a port or an airport where your bags are checked as you come into a country
- to go through customs and passport control
Extra Examples
- You will have to declare these goods when you go through customs.
- We were waved through customs without a pause.
- He got stopped and searched at the Italian customs.
- They cleared customs by five o'clock.
- We had to go through customs before we could leave the airport.
- the customs post on the border
- the removal of European customs controls
Topics Transport by airc2, Holidaysc2, Crime and punishmentc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- French
- UK
- US
- …
verb + customs
- clear
- go through
- wave somebody through
- …
customs + noun
- controls
- regulations
- duty
- …
preposition
- at customs
- through customs
See full entry
the taxes that must be paid to the government when goods are brought in from other countries
- You must pay customs on all imports of alcohol.
- customs duty/duties
Synonyms tax
taxduty ▪ customs ▪ tariff ▪ ratesThese are all words for money that you have to pay to the government.
tax money that you have to pay to the government so that it can pay for public services:
income tax
tax cuts
duty a tax that you pay on things that you buy, especially those that you bring into a country:
The company has to pay customs duties on all imports.
customs tax that is paid when goods are brought in from other countriestariff a tax that is paid on goods coming into or going out of a country, often in order to protect industry from cheap imports:
A general tariff was imposed on foreign imports.
rates (in Britain) a tax paid by businesses to a local authority for land and buildings that they use, and in the past also paid by anyone who owned a house:
Business rates are very high in the city centre.
Patterns
- (a) tax/duty/tariff/rates on something
- to pay an amount of money in tax/duty/customs/rates
- to pay (a) tax/duty/customs/tariff/rates
- to collect taxes/duties/rates
- to increase/raise/reduce taxes/duty/tariffs/rates
- to cut taxes/duties/rates
- to impose a tax/duty/tariff
- to put a tax/duty on something
Extra Examples
- Imports from non-EU countries are subject to customs duty of 20 per cent.
- We had to pay customs duties on the beer.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- French
- UK
- US
- …
verb + customs
- clear
- go through
- wave somebody through
- …
customs + noun
- controls
- regulations
- duty
- …
preposition
- at customs
- through customs
See full entry

Word Originlate Middle English: originally in the singular, denoting a customary due paid to a ruler, later ‘duty charged on goods on their way to market’.

See customs in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee customs in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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