1. Literally, to use something that belongs to another person, with the intent to return it later. A noun or pronoun can be used between "borrow" and "from." Because I found a date to the dance at the last minute, I just borrowed a dress and shoes from my sister. I ran out of art supplies so I had to start borrowing from Steve.

2. Of a work of some kind, to use elements from something else. That movie may be a comedy, but its plot borrows from crime films of the 1940s.