Borrow
/ˈbɒroʊ/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo take something temporarily with the promise to return it.
/ˈbɒroʊ/
To take and use (something) with the intention of returning it.
Can I borrow your pen?
💡 Simply: To get something for a short time and give it back later.
More Examples
He borrowed money from the bank.
How It's Used
"I borrowed a cup of sugar from my neighbor."
"She borrowed five books from the library."
An item temporarily obtained from someone else.
/ˈbɒroʊ/
(Rare) Something that is borrowed.
That sculpture is a borrow from the museum.
💡 Simply: Something you use temporarily from another person.
How It's Used
"The painting was a recent borrow from a private collection."
Idioms & expressions
borrow trouble
To unnecessarily create problems for oneself.
"Don't borrow trouble by worrying about things you can't control."
From Old English *borowian, from Proto-Germanic *borōwijaną. Related to words meaning 'surety' or 'pledge,' reflecting the historical context of borrowing often involving guarantees.
In older texts, 'borrow' sometimes implied a more formal or legal agreement than it does today.
Memory tip
Think of 'borrowing' as a temporary 'loan'.
Word Origin
"To obtain something with an implied obligation to return it."