borrow

Definition

  • verb: to take and use (something that belongs to someone else) for a period of time before returning it
  • verb: to receive with the implied or expressed intention of returning the same or an equivalent
  • synonyms: adopt, receive, take

Examples

  • The company is 'borrowing a page from' [=using a technique or idea first used by] its largest competitor.

  • After his heart attack, my grandfather always felt that he was 'living on borrowed time'.

  • You may want to 'borrow/take a page from his book' and study harder for your finals.

Movie clips

Movie quotes

  • (..) giving him away. Ross, you had to. He was humping everything in sight. My Malibu Barbie will no longer be wearing white to her wedding. Remember when he'd borrow your hat... ...and when you got it back, there'd be monkey raisins in it? When he did it, it was funny. When I did it to my boss's hat... (..)
    1996 TvShow: Friends Title: The One After the Superbowl: Part 1 Season: 2 Episode 12
  • (..) I will miss you buddy. I think I want to write a song about all this. Except one of the strings on my guitar is broken. Chandler, can I borrow your G-string? - How long you been waiting to say that? - About minutes! Can't you see what's going on here? This man is dying! Cut! (..)
    1996 TvShow: Friends Title: The One After the Superbowl: Part 1 Season: 2 Episode 12
  • (..) Hey! Come back! Wait! Who are you? I'm Holly. Holly Golightly. - That doesn't sound like a real name. - It isn't. I borrowed it. You can do that up here. Up here? You mean in heaven. - You're funny. - What's funny about it? This isn't heaven. You're not there yet. What is this place? (..)
    2009 The Lovely Bones