| borrow | 1. To receive from another as a loan, with the implied or expressed intention of returning the identical article or its equivalent in kind; the opposite of lend. 2. <mathematics> To take (one or more) from the next higher denomination in order to add it to the next lower; a term of subtraction when the figure of the subtrahend is larger than the corresponding one of the minuend. 3. To copy or imitate; to adopt; as, to borrow the style, manner, or opinions of another. "Rites borrowed from the ancients." (Macaulay) "It is not hard for any man, who hath a Bible in his hands, to borrow good words and holy sayings in abundance; but to make them his own is a work of grace only from above." (Milton) 4. To feign or counterfeit. "Borrowed hair." "The borrowed majesty of England." (Shak) 5. To receive; to take; to derive. "Any drop thou borrowedst from thy mother." (Shak) To borrow trouble, to be needlessly troubled; to be overapprehensive. Origin: OE. Borwen, AS. Borgian, fr. Borg, borh, pledge; akin to D. Borg, G. Borg; prob. Fr. Root of AS. Beorgan to protect. 95. See 1st Borough. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| borrow pit | Excavations created by the surface mining of rock, unconsolidated geologic deposits or soil to provide material (borrow) for fill elsewhere. (09 Oct 1997) |