1. [v]  get temporarily; "May I borrow your lawn mower?"
2. [v]  take up and practice as one's own

1. \Bor"row\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Borrowed}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Borrowing}.] [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}.]
   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. (Arith.) 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.'' --Spenser.
   
            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.
   
   

2. \Bor"row\, n.
   1. Something deposited as security; a pledge; a surety; a
      hostage. [Obs.]
   
            Ye may retain as borrows my two priests. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
   
   2. The act of borrowing. [Obs.]
   
            Of your royal presence I'll adventure The borrow of
            a week.                               --Shak.
   
   

The Israelites "borrowed" from the Egyptians (Ex. 12:35, R.V., "asked") in accordance with a divine command (3:22; 11:2). But the word (sha'al) so rendered here means simply and always to "request" or "demand." The Hebrew had another word which is properly translated "borrow" in Deut. 28:12; Ps. 37:21. It was well known that the parting was final. The Egyptians were so anxious to get the Israelites away out of their land that "they let them have what they asked" (Ex. 12:36, R.V.), or literally "made them to ask," urged them to take whatever they desired and depart. (See LOAN.)