I. ˈbä(ˌ)rō, -_rə also ˈbȯ-; often -_rəw+V; chiefly in substand speech -_rē or -_ri verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English borwen, from Old English borgian; akin to Old High German borgēn to take heed, give security, Old Norse borga to go bail, Old English beorgan to preserve, defend — more at bury
transitive verb
1. : to receive temporarily from another, implying or expressing the intention either of returning the thing received or of giving its equivalent to the lender : obtain the temporary use of
he returned the pen that he had borrowed from her
specifically : to receive (a book, magazine, or other circulating material) from a lending library for temporary use outside the library premises
these books may be borrowed for two weeks
2.
a. : to appropriate (something not capable of being returned) for one's own especially immediate or temporary use
the speaker borrowed a metaphor from Shakespeare
the books from which he has borrowed his opinions — G.B.Shaw
b. : to derive (as authority) from another : have by a right that is not inherent
borrowing prestige from the ability of his predecessor
c. : to derive from an alien source, somewhat radically adapting and modifying the thing so obtained
voodoo practices are frequently blended with rituals borrowed from established Christian denominations — American Guide Series: Louisiana
3. obsolete : to be surety for : set free by or as if by ransom
if thou be taken prisoner … I will not borrow thee — John Palsgrave
4. : 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 when the latter digit is less than the corresponding one of the subtrahend when subtraction is performed
borrow 1 from 4 in the number 42 to add as 10 to the 2 in order to carry out the subtraction 42 minus 25 equals 17
5. : to introduce (as a word) into one language from another
English kindergarten was borrowed from German
— see loanword
6. : to remove (fill) from a borrow pit
borrowing earth to make a fill
7. dialect : lend
borrow me your pencil
8. : to bring in (organ pipes) from a stop in another division
intransitive verb
1. : to receive, appropriate, or derive something (as by way of a loan) from another
a mixed people freely borrowing from others in religion, language, laws, and manners — M.R.Cohen
2. : to make a stop or part of a stop in one division of a pipe organ available in another division
3. : to putt to the left or right of the cup in golf so as to allow for the slant or roll of the green
•
- borrow trouble
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English borwe, from Old English borg, borh, probably back-formation from borgian
1. obsolete : something deposited as security : pledge
2. obsolete
a. : surety
b. : hostage
III. like borrow I noun
( -s )
Etymology: borrow (I)
1. archaic
a. : the act of borrowing
b. : something borrowed
2. : material (as earth or gravel) taken from one location (as a borrow pit) to be used for fill at another location