borrowing

[ bor-oh-ing, bawr- ]

/ ˈbɒr oʊ ɪŋ, ˈbɔr- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR borrowing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of one who borrows.

the process by which something, as a word or custom, is adopted or absorbed.

the result of such a process; something borrowed, as a foreign word or phrase or a custom.

Nearby words

borrow, borrow pit, borrow trouble, borrowed time, borrower's card, borrowing, bors, borscht, borscht circuit, borsic, borstal

Origin of borrowing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at borrow, -ing¹

Related forms

non·bor·row·ing, adjectivepre·bor·row·ing, nounun·bor·row·ing, adjective

Definition for borrowing (2 of 2)

borrow

[ bor-oh, bawr-oh ]

/ ˈbɒr oʊ, ˈbɔr oʊ /

verb (used with object)

to take or obtain with the promise to return the same or an equivalent: Our neighbor borrowed my lawn mower.

to use, appropriate, or introduce from another source or from a foreign source: to borrow an idea from the opposition; to borrow a word from French.

Arithmetic. (in subtraction) to take from one denomination and add to the next lower.

verb (used without object)

to borrow something: Don't borrow unless you intend to repay.

Nautical.

to sail close to the wind; luff.
to sail close to the shore.

Golf. to putt on other than a direct line from the lie of the ball to the hole, to compensate for the incline or roll of the green.

Origin of borrow

before 900; Middle English borowen, Old English borgian to borrow, lend, derivative of borg a pledge; akin to Dutch borg a pledge, borgen to charge, give credit, German Borg credit, borgen to take on credit

SYNONYMS FOR borrow

2 acquire, take, get; copy, pirate, plagiarize.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR borrow ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

bor·row·a·ble, adjectivebor·row·er, nounnon·bor·rowed, adjectivenon·bor·row·er, noun

o·ver·bor·row, verbun·bor·rowed, adjective

Can be confused

borrow lend loan

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for borrowing

“He is borrowing my voice to tell you this story,” she told the crowd.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Generally, the better the rating, the lower the borrowing cost for the issuer.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: November 9|PunditFact.com|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Borrowing language from his father, Paul said he does not wear his religion “on my sleeve.”
Is Rand Paul Christian Enough for the GOP?|Olivia Nuzzi|August 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ravitch has said the borrowing would have been temporary and would have come in exchange for a more transparent budget.
Powerbroker Richard Ravitch Thinks New York Might Be Doomed|Josh Robin|April 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In hopes of standing out amid the Easter crazy, some churches are borrowing themes from popular culture.
Can’t Fill the House On Easter? Try Handing Out Gadgets|Matthew Paul Turner|April 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He really wanted to establish my credit by setting me to raise loans, on the theory that borrowing is the basis of credit.
The Magic Skin|Honore de Balzac
I had seen a great deal of borrowing going on during the week; everybody's money seemed to belong to everybody else.
May Iverson's Career|Elizabeth Jordan
Borrowing an image from the Turkish empire, he called her a Duchess with three tails.
Life Of Johnson, Volume 5|Boswell
I shall only call it borrowing from you, Harry Gregson, if I take it and use it to pay off the debt.
My Lady Ludlow|Elizabeth Gaskell
Now the management of the Palliser property had always been conducted on principles antagonistic to borrowing.
The Prime Minister|Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for borrowing (1 of 2)

borrow

/ (ˈbɒrəʊ) /

verb

to obtain or receive (something, such as money) on loan for temporary use, intending to give it, or something equivalent or identical, back to the lender

to adopt (ideas, words, etc) from another source; appropriate

not standard to lend

golf to putt the ball uphill of the direct path to the hole

(intr) golf (of a ball) to deviate from a straight path because of the slope of the ground

noun

golf a deviation of a ball from a straight path because of the slope of the grounda left borrow

material dug from a borrow pit to provide fill at another

living on borrowed time

living an unexpected extension of life
close to death

Derived Forms

borrower, noun

Word Origin for borrow

Old English borgian; related to Old High German borgēn to take heed, give security

usage

The use of off after borrow was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable in informal contexts

British Dictionary definitions for borrowing (2 of 2)

Borrow

/ (ˈbɒrəʊ) /

noun

George (Henry). 1803–81, English traveller and writer. His best-known works are the semiautobiographical novels of Gypsy life and language, Lavengro (1851) and its sequel The Romany Rye (1857)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with borrowing

borrow

In addition to the idiom beginning with borrow

borrow trouble

also see:

beg, borrow, or steal
on borrowed time