borry
Borrow — take something for a spell and mean to bring it back.
Also called borrow, borrer, borruh.
Updated September 21, 2026
borry pronunciation
/BOR-ee/
Meaning
Dialect form of borrow. In Southern and Appalachian speech the ending sounds like ee more than oh. Most of the time it means what borrowed means. Older regional talk also flips it to mean lend: "Can you borry me a dollar?" so listen for who is asking and who is giving.
How folks use it
- “Can I borry your trailer hitch for the weekend?”
- “Reckon I better see if I can borry their cow till mine comes fresh.”
Origin and etymology
Pronunciation spelling of borrow. Dictionary of American Regional English places borry chiefly in the South and South Midland, with some New England hits too. Twain wrote borry'd in Huckleberry Finn. DARE also notes the older swap where borrow means lend. Past form borried rides the same sound shift.
Frequently asked questions
Can borry mean lend?
In some older Southern talk, yes. "Borry me a wrench" can mean loan me one. Context tells you which way the tool is going.