Borry
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "borry" is a dialect form of "borrow," often used in casual conversation. The past tense is commonly said as "borried."
Hillbilly Dude Says...
It either sounds like borry or borruh. 'Borry' is probably a little more old timer. Pronunciation
[bahr-ee]
Meaning & Usage
- To Use Temporarily (verb)
Elmer:
Can I borry your truck for the afternoon?
Can I borry your truck for the afternoon?
Estel:
Long as you put gas in it.
Long as you put gas in it.
Ruby:
I borried that rake from Clyde last fall.
I borried that rake from Clyde last fall.
Mae:
Best take it back ‘fore he comes lookin’.
Best take it back ‘fore he comes lookin’.variations: borry, borried
★ If you hear "borry" instead of "borrow," you’re probably talking to someone with deep Appalachian or rural Southern roots - and if they say "borried," they’ve already done it. ★
Origin
This pronunciation comes from vowel shifts in regional English, where "-ow" sounds often flatten to "-or" or "-ar." Such variations are common in Appalachian and Scots-Irish influenced speech patterns.
Notes
"Borrow" is the formal standard, but "borry" remains common in everyday talk in some rural areas. In writing, it’s typically used only to reflect dialect.