Laxi Dictionary

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Definition borrow in British English

borrow verb

verb
/ˈbɒrəʊ/

If you borrow something, someone gives it to you and you agree to give it back: Please may I borrow your umbrella?He borrowed an umbrella from his friend.

If you lend something, you give it to someone else and they agree to give it back to you: Could you lend me your umbrella?She lent me her umbrella.

1

to receive and use something that belongs to someone else, and promise to give it back to them later

Example

Can I borrow your calculator?

Example

I borrowed a camera from Alex.

Synonyms and related words
borrow pawn check out repurpose go towards bring in
1.1

to borrow money, especially from a bank, and agree to pay it back at a particular time. Money that you borrow is called a loan

Example

We borrowed £20,000 to start up the business.

Example

He'd borrowed heavily to pay for the car.

Synonyms and related words
borrow pawn check out bank bank in borrow
1.2

to borrow books from a library and agree to take them back at a particular time

Synonyms and related words
borrow pawn check out
2

to use an idea, method, phrase etc that was first used by another person or in another place or situation

Example

His speech was, to borrow a phrase from Shakespeare, 'full of sound and fury'.

Example

English is full of words that have been borrowed from other languages.

Example

His designs borrow freely from ancient Egyptian art.

Synonyms and related words
borrow pawn check out repurpose go towards bring in
Definition borrow in British English