To borrow something means to take it for a little while with the agreement that you'll give it back later.
You might borrow a book from a friend if you really want to read it but don't have time to buy one. People often borrow things when they're not sure whether they'll keep using them or just need them temporarily, like borrowing a ladder from your neighbor to reach high shelves in your attic. Borrowing can also be about getting access to something that's hard to come by, like borrowing money from a bank for an emergency expense and then paying it back with interest.
How common is "borrow"?
Word borrow is considered uncommon in modern English. It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions
noun
Deviation of the path of a rolling ball from a straight line; slope; slant.
Example: This putt has a big left-to right borrow on it.
A borrow pit.
In the Rust programming language, the situation where the ownership of a value is temporarily transferred to another region of code.
1 / 3
verb
To receive (something) from somebody temporarily, expecting to return it.
To take money from a bank under the agreement that the bank will be paid over the course of time.
To adopt (an idea) as one's own.
Example: to borrow the style, manner, or opinions of another
To adopt a word from another language.
In a subtraction, to deduct (one) from a digit of the minuend and add ten to the following digit, in order that the subtraction of a larger digit in the subtrahend from the digit in the minuend to which ten is added gives a positive result.
(Upper Midwestern United States) To lend.
To temporarily obtain (something) for (someone).
To feign or counterfeit.
(obsolete except in ballads) To secure the release of (someone) from prison.
To receive (something) from somebody, with little possibility of returning it.
