▪ I. borrowing, vbl. n.1
(ˈbɒrəʊɪŋ)
[f. borrow v.1]
The action of the verb borrow (senses 1, 2); taking on loan, taking at second-hand, etc.; also concr., that which is borrowed.
| 1539 Taverner Erasm. Prov. 46 The Englysh prouerbe..testyfyeth that he that goeth a borowynge, goeth a sorowynge. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 15 Sauying by borowyng, tyll we be in det. a 1630 S. Page in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. li. 3 Our food and raiment, the necessaries of life, are borrowings. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. xxiii. 147 Confession puts the difference betwixt stealing and borrowing. 1830 Coleridge Table T. 111 So borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. 1882 J. W. Legg Liturgical Colours ii. 14 These colours..seem to be a modern borrowing from Rome. |
† b. In certain obsolete phrases: to do borrowing, give borrowing, lend borrowing: to lend. to take borrowing: to borrow. to ask in borrowing: to ask as a loan.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 277 Þat..borwyng and lynynge be frely don to pore men. 1382 ― Prov. xxii. 7 He that taketh borewing, seruant is of the usurer. Ibid. Luke vi. 34 If ȝe ȝyuen borwynge to hem, of whiche ȝe hopen to take aȝen, what grace is to you? c 1570 Leg. Bp. St. Andrews in Scot. Poems 16th C. (1801) II. 328 Sowmes of silver fra him [he] ast In borrowing. 1573 Sege Edinb. ibid. II. 287 Lend vs ane borrouing of ȝour auld blak bellis. |
c. borrowing days: the last three days of March (Old Style), said in Scottish folk-lore to have been borrowed by March from April, and supposed to be specially stormy.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. 38 The borial blastis of the thre borouing dais of marche. 1791 Statist. Acc. Scotl. I. 57 Born in the borrowing days. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxviii, The bairns' rime says, the warst blast of the borrowing days couldna kill the three silly poor hog-lams. |
▪ II. borrowing, vbl. n.2 Naut.
(ˈbɒrəʊɪŋ)
[f. borrow v.2]
Sailing close to land or to the wind.
| 1622 R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea (1847) 117 The norther part of the bay hath foule ground, and rockes under water; and therefore it is not wholesome borrowing of the mayne. |
▪ III. ˈborrowing, ppl. a.
[f. borrow v.1 + -ing2.]
That borrows. Hence ˈborrowingly adv.
| 1640 Brome Sparagus Gard. i. iii, I hope you will not..urge me beyond patience with your borroughing attempts. Ibid. Your countenance..lookes so borrowingly. 1855 Dickens Dorrit ix, They eyed him with borrowing eyes. 1866 Crump Banking vii. 148 As an import to the lending country, and as an export to the borrowing country. |