borrow

Formsborrows, borrowing, borrowed

Pluralborrows

1. 1
   verbtransitive

   To take something from someone for a short time, planning to give it back.

   Like using a friend's toy and giving it back later.

   Can I borrow your pen for a minute?

   She borrowed a book from the library last week.

   UsageYou borrow from a person. That person lends to you.

   Oppositelend, loan

2. 2
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To take money from a bank or person and pay it back later.

   Like getting money now and paying it back little by little.

   They had to borrow money to buy a house.

   I borrowed fifty dollars from my brother.

   UsageSay borrow from a bank, or borrow against your house.

   Oppositelend

3. 3
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To take an idea from someone else and use it as your own.

   Like using a good idea you picked up from a neighbor.

   Writers often borrow ideas from older stories.

   He borrowed the plan from a friend's project.

   UsageSay borrow from: he borrowed from an old story.

   Similaradopt, appropriate, take, copy, lift

   Note
4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To take a word from another language and use it in your own.

   English likes to borrow words from French.

   We borrowed the word "sushi" from Japanese.

   UsageSay borrow a word from a language. The word is then called a loanword.

   Similaradopt, take

   Note
5. 5
   verb

   To get something for a short time so that someone else can use it.

   Like picking up a spare umbrella so a friend can stay dry.

   Can you borrow a ladder for me from next door?

   She borrowed a wheelchair for her grandmother.

   UsageSay borrow a ladder for me. "Borrow me" can sound like "lend me".

   Similarget, obtain

   Note
6. 6
   verbcolloquialtransitive

   To take something small from someone when you probably won't give it back.

   Like asking a neighbor for milk you both know you won't replace.

   Can I borrow a cigarette?

   He borrowed some sugar and never brought any back.

   Similarcadge, scrounge, bum

7. 7
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   In subtraction, to take ten from the next column so you can finish the problem.

   Like breaking a ten-dollar bill into ones so you have enough to pay.

   When the bottom digit is bigger, you borrow from the next column.

   He borrowed from the tens place to finish the subtraction.

   UsageYou borrow from the next column. This is also called regrouping.

   Similarregroup

   Note
8. 8
   verbcolloquialtransitive

   To take someone away from what they are doing for a short talk or some help.

   Like pulling a friend aside at a party for a quick question.

   Can I borrow you for a minute?

   The manager borrowed Tom to help carry boxes.

   UsageSay can I borrow you for a minute? when you need someone for a short time.

   Similarsteal, grab, nab

9. 9
   nouncountable or uncountable

   In golf, the way a sloped green makes a rolling ball curve to one side.

   Like rolling a marble across a tilted table: it curves instead of going straight.

   This green has a strong borrow from left to right.

   She misjudged the borrow and missed the hole.

   Similarbreak

   Note
10. 10
    verbtransitive or intransitive

    To aim a putt to one side so the slope of the green curves the ball toward the hole.

    Like rolling a ball across a tilted floor: you aim to one side so it curves back to where you want it.

    She had to borrow a little to the right because the green sloped that way.

    If you don't borrow enough, the ball will slide past the low side of the hole.

    Note

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