borrow

verb

bor·​row ˈbär-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce borrow (audio)
ˈbȯr-
borrowed; borrowing; borrows

transitive verb

1
a
: to receive with the implied or expressed intention of returning the same or an equivalent
borrow a book from the library
borrowed a dollar
borrowing a cup of sugar from a neighbor
b
finance : to borrow (money) with the intention of returning the same plus interest (see interest entry 1 sense 3a)
borrow money from the bank
2
a
: to appropriate for one's own use
borrow a metaphor from Shakespeare
b
: derive, adopt
traditions borrowed from African polytheism
3
mathematics : to take (one) from a digit of the minuend in arithmetical subtraction in order to add as 10 to the digit holding the next lower place
4
: to adopt into one language from another
The English word "entrepreneur" was borrowed from French.
5
dialect : lend
Borrow me your pencil.

intransitive verb

: to borrow something
borrows heavily from Nietzsche
borrower noun
Phrases
borrow trouble
: to do something unnecessarily that may result in adverse reaction or repercussions

Examples of borrow in a Sentence

The twins often borrow each other's clothes. I'm borrowing a friend's car for the weekend. He borrowed the book from the library. Will you see if we can borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbors? She borrowed $20 from me. The speech was peppered with phrases borrowed from Winston Churchill. She borrowed the technique from local artisans.
Recent Examples on the Web Readers across the globe borrowed 662 million e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines last year, up 19% since 2022, according to data provided by OverDrive, the main distributor of digital content for libraries and schools. Susan Haigh, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Now, Bleach Lab has released their newest album Lost In A Rush of Emptiness, a title aptly borrowed from a line in Leonard Cohen’s posthumous collection The Flame. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 11 Mar. 2024 The wealthiest buyers, who have enough cash to avoid borrowing altogether, have been undeterred by rising borrowing costs. Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 And just one year ago, to borrow a phrase from Ron Burgundy, that seemed like kind of a big deal. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Hollywood often borrows samurai culture—their code and the idea of their swords as their souls—as an exotic outfit, a shorthand for, say, illustrating the intentions of the Bride in Kill Bill or the importance of the lightsabers in Star Wars. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2024 On average over the life of a bond the state pays $2 for every $1 borrowed, said H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the department. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Much more important is the simple truth that governments can only borrow insofar as investors expect not just higher tax revenues now, but much higher tax revenues in the future. John Tamny, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 In a surprising turn of events, borrowing from Legend’s playbook gave the rapper a victory. USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'borrow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English borwen, from Old English borgian; akin to Old English beorgan to preserve — more at bury

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of borrow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near borrow

Cite this Entry

“Borrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/borrow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

borrow

verb
bor·​row ˈbär-ō How to pronounce borrow (audio)
ˈbȯr-
1
: to take or receive something with the promise or intention of returning it
2
: to take for one's own use something begun or thought up by another : adopt
borrow an idea
3
: to take 1 from the digit in a minuend and add it as 10 to the digit in the next lower place
borrower noun

Legal Definition

borrow

transitive verb
bor·​row
: to take or receive temporarily
specifically : to receive (money) with the intention of returning the same plus interest
borrower noun

Biographical Definition

Borrow

biographical name

Bor·​row ˈbär-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce Borrow (audio)
George Henry 1803–1881 English author

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