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Borrowing

UK //ˈbɒrəʊɪŋ//US //ˈbɔroʊɪŋ//

Definition

Taking and using something belonging to someone else with the intention of returning it.

In simple words: Taking something from someone with the promise to give it back.

Examples

  • Can I borrow your book for a week?
  • He is borrowing money from the bank to buy a car.
  • She borrowed a pen from her classmate during the exam.
  • I'll be borrowing your advice for our project meeting.
  • Are you borrowing anything from the library today?
  • They are borrowing tools from their neighbor to fix the fence.

Usage notes

Used for temporary loans of items or money. Common in everyday conversations. It's informal to ask a friend to borrow something, but more formal in business contexts.

Grammar pattern

borrow + object

Memory hint

Think of a 'borrower' as a 'bore-rower' who takes things until they row back to return them.

Collocations

  • borrow money
  • borrow a book
  • borrow from a friend
  • borrow time
  • borrow an idea

Synonyms

  • loan
  • acquire
  • take
  • appropriate
  • usurp

Common mistakes

  • Saying 'borrow from' instead of 'borrow' without specifying the source.
  • Confusing 'borrow' with 'lend' - remember, you borrow from someone, but lend to someone.
  • Using wrong tenses - e.g., using 'borrowing' instead of 'borrowed' for past actions.