borrow

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

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

   May I borrow your pen for a minute?

2. 2
   verb

   To take money from a bank or person that you must pay back later.

   They borrowed money from the bank to buy a house.

3. 3
   verb

   To take and use an idea, word, or custom from someone or somewhere else.

   English has borrowed many words from French.

Common collocations

• borrow a book Verb + noun

From Middle English borwen, borȝien, Old English borgian (“to borrow, lend, pledge surety for”), from Proto-West Germanic *borgōn, from Proto-Germanic *burgōną (“to pledge, take care of”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ- (“to take care”). Cognate with Dutch borgen (“to borrow, trust”), German borgen (“to borrow, lend”), Danish borge (“to vouch”). Related to Old English beorgan (“to save, preserve”). More at bury.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images