borrow

verb
UK: /ˈbɒrəʊ/
US: /ˈbɑːroʊ/

  1. To take something from someone with the intention of returning it.

    1. Can I borrow your pen, please? I'll give it back soon. [ ] [ ]
    2. She needed to borrow money from the bank to start her own business, promising repayment within five years. [ ] [ ]

  2. To use something that belongs to someone else for a period of time.

    1. I had to borrow a car to get to work. [ ] [ ]
    2. He asked if he could borrow my notes to study for the upcoming exam, since he missed a few lectures. [ ] [ ]

  3. To adopt ideas, methods, or practices from another source.

    1. The company decided to borrow some techniques from their competitors. [ ] [ ]
    2. Many modern architectural designs borrow elements from classical Greek and Roman structures, creating a timeless aesthetic. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

loan take appropriate adopt
borrow noun

  1. An act of borrowing something.

    1. That was a borrow, not a gift. [ ] [ ]
    2. The library offers a convenient borrow system, allowing patrons to access a wide range of materials for free. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "borrow" in English means: To take something from someone with the intention of returning it., To use something that belongs to someone else for a period of time., To adopt ideas, methods, or practices from another source..

The phonetic transcription of "borrow" is /ˈbɒrəʊ/ in British English and /ˈbɑːroʊ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "borrow": loan, take, appropriate, adopt.

Example usage of "borrow": "Can I borrow your pen, please? I'll give it back soon.". More examples on the page.