borrowing

An instance of something being borrowed.

Noun

  1. An instance of something being borrowed.
    • January 1834, Horace Binney, Speech on the Question of the Removal of the Deposites Subscriptions, borrowings of money, taxings of the citizens and their property, may all be valid, as operations by virtue of laws for...
  2. A borrowed word, adopted from a foreign language; loanword.
    • Whilst you would be forgiven for thinking this statement comes straight from the latest UKIP manifesto, it is in fact a quotation from The Anglish Moot, a fan-page promoting the use of the 'Anglish' language — that is,...

Origin

From borrow + -ing.

Forms

borrowings

Derived

borrowing card false borrowing learned borrowing pseudo-borrowing reborrowing semantic borrowing semi-learned borrowing

Verb

  1. present participle and gerund of borrow
    • She is borrowing my pen.
  2. Shoplifting.