# borrowed

/ˈbɑˌɹoʊd/ (US) · /bˈɒɹəʊd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/borrowed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. took and will return

verb · CEFR A2

took something from someone else with the promise to return it later.

For teachers: the past tense of 'borrow', indicating the completed act of taking something for temporary use.

- I borrowed a ladder from my neighbour to fix the roof.
- She borrowed several reference books from the university library to complete her research paper over the weekend.

### 2. not original or owned

adjective · CEFR B1

describes something that belongs to someone else or was taken from another source.

For teachers: functioning as a participial adjective to describe an object or idea obtained from an external source.

- He was wearing a borrowed suit that was a bit too big for him.
- The essay was criticized for its reliance on borrowed ideas rather than original analysis of the primary text.

## Examples

- I borrowed a pen from my classmate.
- She borrowed several books from the local library to help with her history project.
- The architect borrowed elements from classical Greek design to create a modern building that felt both timeless and innovative.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.