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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BORROW, Borch, Burgh, Burrow, n.¹ and v. Arch. [′bɔro, ′bʌro, ′bɔrx]

1. n.

(1) A surety, pledge.Sc. 1701–1731 R. Wodrow Analecta (Maitland Club 1843) III. 8:
He would find God the burgh; which was the way they had then of expressing, that he would give God [for] his cautioner.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley xv.:
Made prisoners, ransomed them, or concussed them into giving borrows (pledges) to enter into captivity again.Sc. 1860 C. Innes Scot. Mid. Ages vi. 184:
If a thief . . . could find no borch, he was hanged.Lnk. 1718 Minutes J.P.'s Lnk. (S.H.S. 1931) 225:
Gif they be convict of sick trespas that they be punished and find burrows till assyth the King and party complainand.

(2) Anything borrowed.Bnff. 1898 E.D.D.; Abd.² 1935:
That's nae ma ain; it's a borrow. A common saying is, “A borrow sudd gyang lauchin hame.”

2. v.

(1) To stand surety for, assist, ransom, release.Sc. 1747 More Culloden Papers (ed. D. Warrand 1930) V. 194:
If my life could borrow his it would be good for Scotland [referring to the death of Duncan Forbes].Sc. 1827 Billie Archie in W. Motherwell Minstrelsy 335:
Had I but five men and mysell Then we would borrow Billie Archie.Sc. 1904 Young Beichan in Ballads (ed. Child) No. 53C iv.:
O gin a lady woud borrow me, At her stirrup-foot I woud rin; Or gin a widow wad borrow me, I woud swear to be her son.Abd. 1925 Greig and Keith Last Leaves 29:
She borrowed her love at mark midnight.

(2) (See quot.)Ags. 1808 Jam.:
To borrow one, to urge one to drink. [Explained in S.D.D. as “to pledge one in liquor.” Not known to our correspondents.]

3. phr.: in borrowing, on loan.Inv. 1769–1782 in I. F. Grant Old Highland Farm (1924) 191:
The ½ guinea that he got in borrowing.

4. Ppl.adj. borrowed, borrowit, looking as if one did not belong to a place, like a stranger, out of things, restless and ill at ease, forlorn. Rxb. 1875 N. Elliott N. Macpherson 84:
Puir Sandie 'ill juist tramp on up and down the kintra like a borrowed bodie till he wears the shoon aff his feet. Dmf. 1952:
Draw in your chair a bit-ye're awfu borrowed-lookin oot there.