Question

Read the passage from Hamlet, Act I, Scene iii.

Polonius: Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are most select and generous, chief in that.

Which meaning of habit does Shakespeare use in this passage?

addiction
attire
behavior
custom

Answer 1

attire

Here "habit" means clothing/dress — Polonius is advising Laertes to wear costly but tasteful clothes (see "For the apparel oft proclaims the man").