borrow
/ˈbɒrəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · [bˈɑrˌo] /ˈbɔːrəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · [bˈɑrˌo] /ˈbär-(ˌ)ō ˈbȯr-/ (ame, mw)
borrow — verb
- borrowpresent simple I / you / we / they
- borrowshe / she / it
- borrowedpast simple
- borrowing-ing form
1. to take another person's thing for a short time and later give it back.
to take another person's thing for a short time and later give it back.
Can I borrow your blue umbrella until the rain stops after school?
borrow + object + until + time
Hana borrowed my bike for the market and returned it before dinner.
borrow + object + for + purpose
The library lets students borrow five DVDs during the winter holiday.
Ravi forgot his pen, so he borrowed one from the art teacher.
We borrowed folding chairs from our neighbour for the garden party.
文法句型
borrow + noun + from + somebody
用法筆記
Object is a physical thing or item you plan to give back. The person or place you get it from usually follows 'from'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is specifically about money.
常見錯誤
2. to get money that you promise to return later, for example from family or a bank
to get money that you promise to return later, for example from family or a bank.
Noa borrowed money from her uncle to fix the shop roof.
borrow money from + lender
The company may borrow twenty million dollars for the new bridge.
borrow + amount of money
After the storm, many farmers had to borrow money for seed.
We borrowed from the bank and repaid the loan in three years.
Lior does not want to borrow more than his family can repay.
- take out a loan
common full phrase for borrowing from a bank
- finance
more formal; often used for paying for something over time
文法句型
borrow money from + lender
borrow from + lender
用法筆記
Object is usually money or an amount, and the lender may be named with 'from'. This sense is also common without a direct object when the money context is already clear. Distinguish from sense 1, where the borrowed thing is not money.
常見錯誤
3. to adopt a word, image, or idea first used somewhere else and use it in your own
to adopt a word, image, or idea first used somewhere else and use it in your own language or work.
In class, Mei borrowed the word 'karaoke' from Japanese.
borrow + word + from + language
The young director borrowed a chase scene from old detective films.
borrow + ideas from + source
At rehearsal, Ravi's band borrowed drum beats from old dance songs.
Zara borrowed a flower pattern from her grandmother's quilt design.
In the lab, Hana borrowed two English terms for her Korean report.
文法句型
borrow + noun + from + source
用法筆記
The object is usually a word, tune, style, or idea rather than a physical object. Unlike sense 1, nothing is literally returned; the meaning is about taking influence or material from a source.
常見錯誤
4. to take one unit from the column on the left in subtraction so you can work out
to take one unit from the column on the left in subtraction so you can work out the smaller column.
In 52 minus 38, borrow one ten from the tens column.
borrow + one + from + column
The teacher showed the class when to borrow one from the next column.
classroom explanation of subtraction
Aiko borrowed one ten to subtract nine ones in the last column.
If the top number is smaller, borrow one and try again.
Our maths book uses pictures to explain how children borrow one.
- regroup
common in some school maths books, especially in American English
文法句型
borrow + one + from + column
用法筆記
Common in school maths when teaching subtraction with columns. It often appears with 'from' plus the next column. Distinguish from the other senses: nobody lends anything here.