Forms: 1 borʓian, 3 boru, 3–5 borwe, 4–5 borou, borewe, 4–6 borowe, (5 boro(o, bourowe, bor(o)wyn, borwon, borwne), 5–6 borow, (6 burow), 7 borrowe, 4– borrow. [OE. borʓian, f. borʓ, borh pledge, surety (BORROW sb.); cf. OHG. borgên to take heed, f. *borg (? object of care), MHG., mod.G. borgen to borrow, f. MHG. borg pledge.]
I. To give security for, take on pledge.
1. trans. a. To take (a thing) on pledge or security given for its safe return; b. To take (a thing) on credit, on the understanding of returning it, or giving an equivalent; hence, to obtain or take the temporary use of (a thing recognized as being the property of another, to whom it is returnable). Const. of, rarely from, formerly at.
The essential notion of borrowing originally was the security given for the safety of the thing so taken: the essential notion now is that the thing is the property of another and liable to be returned, the only security given being often the undertaking, formal or implied, that it shall be so returned when we have used it.
a. 1000. Lamb. Psalm xxxvi[i]. 21 (Bosw.). Borʓaþ se synfulla and na ʓefillþ.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. v. 42. Þam þe wylle æt þe borʓian ne wyrn þu him.
1297. R. Glouc., 393. He … leyde … hys broþer to wedde Normandye, And borwede of hym þervppe an hondred þousend marc.
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 3219. Thai may nathyng begg ne borowe.
c. 1430. Syr Gener., 8775. Whi he bourowed it of him soo.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Esdr. v. 3. Let vs borowe money of the kinge vpon vsury.
1552. Huloet, Borowe of Peter to paye Paule … wher as a man doth Borow of one to paye an other.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxii. 116. If the person of the Body Politique … borrow mony of a stranger.
1769. Junius Lett., i. 4. This nation will not bear … to see new millions borrowed.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 22. 156. I borrowed a handkerchief from Lauener.
c. Arith. In Subtraction, when the number to be subtracted in one denomination is greater than that of the minuend, To transfer to the latter mentally the equivalent of a unit of the next higher denomination, compensating or ‘paying back’ for this at the next step in the process.
1594. Blundevil, Exerc., I. (ed. 7), 91. Take 6 out of nothing, which will not bee, wherefore you must borrow 60.
1881. J. G. Fitch, Lect. Teaching, xi. 326. ‘9 from 3 I cannot; Borrow 10.’
2. fig. To render oneself indebted for; to make temporary use of (something not one’s own); used, e.g., of temporal possessions, with notion of their being only lent to us, not given. More usually of immaterial things: as, to adopt (thoughts, expressions, modes of conduct) from another person, or (words, idioms, customs, etc.) from a foreign language or people; to obtain (a temporary favor) by request; to derive (one’s authority, etc.) from another, as opposed to holding it by inherent right; to draw (a comparison, inference, suggestion) from some source alien to the subject in hand; to adopt (something) for other than its normal purpose. Const. from, of, formerly at.
As applied to the adoption of foreign words or customs, it properly implies that the adoption is merely temporary; but this restriction is now often disregarded, esp. by writers on philology; cf. LOAN-WORD.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 204. Þet is riht religiun, þet euerich … boruwe et tisse urakele worlde so lutel so he euer mei, of mete, of cloðe, of eihte.
c. 1380. Wyclif, De Dot. Eccles., Sel. Wks. III. 434. Wiþout autorite borewid of oþer.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. xvii. (1495), 325. The mone hath no lyght of herself, but borowyth and takyth of the plente of the sonne.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., I. v. I in purpose, at my boke, To borowe a slepe, at thilke tyme began.
1549. Latimer, Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 80. Let hym borowe example at Salomon.
1595. Shaks., John, V. i. 51. Inferior eyes That borrow their behauiours from the great.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXIV. xxii. 524. You were best therefore to borrow [sumeret] some respite of time of the Embassadours.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 96. Borrow part of Winter for thy Corn.
1706. A. Bedford, Temple Mus., vi. 113. The Rabbies would … borrow Words from other Languages.
1763. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., xi. 184. Their [the Romans’] Music and Poetry was always borrowed and adopted.
a. 1847. R. Hamilton, Rew. & Punishm., iv. (1853), 185. The illustrations are borrowed from the fowls of heaven and from the flowers of the field.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 15. No man can be happy who, to borrow Plato’s illustration, is leading the life of an oyster.
† II. To be surety for, be good for, ransom, save.
† 3. trans. To be surety for, go bail for; to ransom, redeem, release by paying a ransom. Obs.
c. 1300. Cursor M., 23792. Þat soru Þat nakins borgh us fra mai boru.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. IV. 109. He shal rest in my stokkes, And þat as longe as he lyueth · but lowenesse hym borwe.
1530. Palsgr., 461. If thou be taken prisoner … I wyll nat borowe the.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 107. Gif the Lord of the Court, to quhom the defender is borrowed, hes diverse Courts; he quha borrowes him, sall assigne to the persewer ane certaine day and place.
c. 1783. Ballad ‘Young Bekie,’ iv. in Child, Ballads, II. 466/1. O gin a lady woud borrow me, At her stirrup-foot I woud rin.
† 4. transf. To give security or safety to; to lease, rescue, save; to defend, protect. (With this cf. BERGH v. to protect. See also BURȜEN v.) Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5286. Me borud noght bot godd allan.
c. 1350. Med. MS., in Archæol., XXX. 368. Yat day fro feueres it schall ye borwe.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst. (1841), 421. I pray to God … That he us borwe fro synfulle shame.
1522. World & Child, in Hazl., Dodsl., I. 269. Some good word that I may say To borrow mans soul from blame.
† b. absol. To warrant, ‘be bound,’ assert confidently. Cf. BORROW sb. 2 b. Obs.
c. 1475. Sqr. lowe Degre, 451. I shall borowe for seven yere He shall not wedde my doughter dere.
1590. Greene, Neuer too late (1600), 24. Wonder twas in her eyne Fire and water should combine: If th’ old saw did not borrow, Fire is loue, and water sorrow.
