borrow
verb
bor·row
| \ ˈbär-(ˌ)ō
, ˈbȯr-\
, ˈbȯr-\
borrowed;
borrowing;
borrows
Definition of borrow
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: 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
2a
: to appropriate for one's own use
borrow a metaphor from Shakespeare
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.
: to borrow something
borrows heavily from Nietzsche
borrow trouble
: to do something unnecessarily that may result in adverse reaction or repercussions
Borrow
biographical name
Bor·row
| \ ˈbär-(ˌ)ō
\
\
Definition of Borrow (Entry 2 of 2)
George Henry 1803–1881 English author
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Other Words from borrow
Verb
borrower
\ ˈbär-ə-wər
, ˈbȯr- \
noun
, ˈbȯr- \
noun
Synonyms for borrow
Synonyms: Verb
adopt, embrace, espouse, take on, take up
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Examples of borrow in a Sentence
Verb
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: Verb
What followed was a production that borrowed from black music, the black church and other aspects of the culture to pay loving tribute to what African Americans have achieved. — NBC News, "Pyer Moss celebrates black culture during Fashion Week," 10 Sep. 2019 There are other innovations borrowed from the developing world offered in medicalized urban centers. — Vijay Govindarajan, Fortune, "To Lower Health Care Costs, Look to International Innovations," 10 Sep. 2019 Her plan was to buy out her siblings with money borrowed from her husband, Peter Frank. — BostonGlobe.com, "Dorothea Benton Frank, a gregarious Southern novelist whose career started on a dare — that she could write a book that would earn enough money to buy back her family house in South Carolina after her mother’s death — died Sept. 2 in a hospital in Manhattan. She was 67.," 10 Sep. 2019 What followed was a production that borrowed from black music, the black church and other aspects of the culture to pay loving tribute to what African Americans have achieved. — Washington Post, "Pyer Moss celebrates black culture with fashion and music," 8 Sep. 2019 Still the slightly waifish rogue, Jagger arrived in black shirt over a cropped black T-shirt and pants, layered with a series of sparkly jackets possibly borrowed from a Korean boy band. — Ben Crandell, sun-sentinel.com, "Review/Photos: Rolling Stones reign as it pours at Hard Rock Stadium," 31 Aug. 2019 Normally, these opposites instantly annihilate, returning energy borrowed fleetingly from the universe’s budget. — Quanta Magazine, "Philosophers Debate New ‘Sonic Black Hole’ Discovery," 27 Aug. 2019 Sold in 2016 for $87,500, the jacket is a borrowed from the boys cropped tuxedo with a rockabilly air. — Vogue, "What Desperately Seeking Susan Got Right About Fashion," 20 Aug. 2019 The seven exoplanets were all found in tight formation around an ultracool dwarf star called TRAPPIST-1, and the planets bear the TRAPPIST name -- which the researchers borrowed from their favorite beer. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "New telescope could look for atmospheres around these exoplanets in a year," 15 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'borrow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for borrow
borrow
verb
English Language Learners Definition of borrow
: to take and use (something that belongs to someone else) for a period of time before returning it
: to take and use up (something) with the promise to give back something of equal value
: to use (an idea, saying, etc.) that was thought up by someone else
See the full definition for borrow in the English Language Learners Dictionary
borrow
verb
bor·row
| \ ˈbär-ō
\
\
borrowed;
borrowing
Kids Definition of borrow
1
: to take and use something with the promise of returning it
Can I borrow your pen?
2
: to use something begun or thought up by another : adopt
borrow an idea
3
: to adopt into one language from another
Many English words are borrowed from French.