--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The words you can't find, you borrow." description: "\"The words you can't find, you borrow.\" — Gabrielle Zevin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/gabrielle-zevin-626_borrow_the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-4554_455407.png" --- # The words you can't find, you borrow. ![“The words you can't find, you borrow.” quote by Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/gabrielle-zevin-626_borrow_the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-4554_455407.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/gabrielle-zevin-626_borrow_the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-4554_455407.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/gabrielle-zevin-626_borrow_the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-4554_455407.png) > “The words you can't find, you borrow.” [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that when we lack words, we appropriate language from others to express ourselves. **In simple terms:** Borrowing words fills gaps in expression. Key Takeaway Use others' language thoughtfully. Themes communication language creativity Mood reflective analytical Type observational insightful When to use this quote - writing - conversation - teaching - public speaking Key Concepts lexical borrowing expression Questions to Reflect On - How does borrowing words affect authenticity? - When is it appropriate to adopt another's phrasing? A Different Perspective Borrowed words may dilute original voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borrow/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Words Borrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-borrow-1809580/) ## Related quotes > [“The words you can't find, you borrow. We read to know we're not alone. We read because we are alone. We read and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-we-read-to-know-we-re-not-alone/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The words you can't find, you borrow. We read to know we're not alone. We read because we are alone. We read and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-we-read-to-know-we-re-not-alone-2/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Love paints the heart so delicate; so why would my words ever borrow the ink of their own demise?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-chouette/love-paints-the-heart-so-delicate-so-why-would-my-words-ever-borrow/) [Laura Chouette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-chouette/) > [To be successful, keep looking tanned, live in an elegant building (even if you're in the cellar), be seen in smart restaurants (even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-successful-keep-looking-tanned-live-in-an-elegant-building-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How strange! When people borrow money, they bow to you and when you collect it, you have to bow to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-strange-when-people-borrow-money-they-bow-to-you-and-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You can always borrow ideas; but unless you improve them very significantly, never behave as if they are your own!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-can-always-borrow-ideas-but-unless-you-improve-them-very/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [U turned ur bck oN tomorw,c0z u 4gt Yestrday.i gave u my love in borrow.. bt u jst throw it away..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xresh-atish/u-turned-ur-bck-on-tomorw-c0z-u-4gt-yestrday-i-gave-u-my-love-in/) [Xresh Atish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xresh-atish/) > [Scientists have odious manners, except when you prop up their theory; then you can borrow money of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/scientists-have-odious-manners-except-when-you-prop-up-their-theory/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Experience is the only good 'tis safer to borrow than to buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-panin/experience-is-the-only-good-tis-safer-to-borrow-than-to-buy/) [Ivan Panin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-panin/) > [“Dreams are the kind of things you can—when you need to—borrow and lend out,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/dreams-are-the-kind-of-things-you-can-when-you-need-to-borrow-and/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/a-poet-ought-not-to-pick-nature-s-pocket-let-him-borrow-and-so-borrow/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Do not borrow the productions of other men's brains and pens and recite them as a lesson; but make the most of the talents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/do-not-borrow-the-productions-of-other-men-s-brains-and-pens-and/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More by Gabrielle Zevin > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [That Woman is in love with her own grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/that-woman-is-in-love-with-her-own-grief/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [He kissed me, though not in a sexy way. Gentle. Tender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-kissed-me-though-not-in-a-sexy-way-gentle-tender/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Daddy always said the only thing worth begging for was your life, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe sometimes your love is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/daddy-always-said-the-only-thing-worth-begging-for-was-your-life-but/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“I am repulsed by ghostwritten novels by reality television stars, celebrity picture books, sports memoirs, movie tie-in editions, novelty items, and—I imagine this goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-am-repulsed-by-ghostwritten-novels-by-reality-television-stars/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wish I could tell you to always follow your heart, but I think it is bad advice. You have a heart, yes, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wish-i-could-tell-you-to-always-follow-your-heart-but-i-think-it-is/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is a lie that you should only speak from your heart- you ought to let your brain play a part too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-a-lie-that-you-should-only-speak-from-your-heart-you-ought-to/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wondered if the person who really loves you is the person who knows all your stories, the person who WANTS to know all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wondered-if-the-person-who-really-loves-you-is-the-person-who-knows/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Most people's problems would be solved if they would only give more things a chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/most-people-s-problems-would-be-solved-if-they-would-only-give-more/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is lucky, she thinks, that we don’t feel all the love inside us every moment. We couldn’t breathe or walk or eat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-lucky-she-thinks-that-we-don-t-feel-all-the-love-inside-us/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Real love' is not just instinct, but intent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/real-love-is-not-just-instinct-but-intent/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Hi there," squeaked a precocious little voice, "you are speaking to Chloe Fusakawa, and I have just learned how to answer the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/hi-there-squeaked-a-precocious-little-voice-you-are-speaking-to-chloe/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Well, I’m warning you. I could be a bad book with a good jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/well-i-m-warning-you-i-could-be-a-bad-book-with-a-good-jacket/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“A place ain’t a place without a bookstore,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/a-place-ain-t-a-place-without-a-bookstore/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) [Explore all 425 Gabrielle Zevin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## More Borrow quotes > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Do not borrow the productions of other men's brains and pens and recite them as a lesson; but make the most of the talents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/do-not-borrow-the-productions-of-other-men-s-brains-and-pens-and/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/a-poet-ought-not-to-pick-nature-s-pocket-let-him-borrow-and-so-borrow/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“Dreams are the kind of things you can—when you need to—borrow and lend out,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/dreams-are-the-kind-of-things-you-can-when-you-need-to-borrow-and/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Experience is the only good 'tis safer to borrow than to buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-panin/experience-is-the-only-good-tis-safer-to-borrow-than-to-buy/) [Ivan Panin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-panin/) > [Scientists have odious manners, except when you prop up their theory; then you can borrow money of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/scientists-have-odious-manners-except-when-you-prop-up-their-theory/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [U turned ur bck oN tomorw,c0z u 4gt Yestrday.i gave u my love in borrow.. bt u jst throw it away..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xresh-atish/u-turned-ur-bck-on-tomorw-c0z-u-4gt-yestrday-i-gave-u-my-love-in/) [Xresh Atish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xresh-atish/) > [“You can always borrow ideas; but unless you improve them very significantly, never behave as if they are your own!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-can-always-borrow-ideas-but-unless-you-improve-them-very/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [How strange! When people borrow money, they bow to you and when you collect it, you have to bow to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-strange-when-people-borrow-money-they-bow-to-you-and-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be successful, keep looking tanned, live in an elegant building (even if you're in the cellar), be seen in smart restaurants (even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-successful-keep-looking-tanned-live-in-an-elegant-building-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“acquaintance, n.: A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/acquaintance-n-a-person-whom-we-know-well-enough-to-borrow-from-but/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Borrow my umbrellas, my clothes, my money, and I will likely not think of them again. But borrow my books and I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/borrow-my-umbrellas-my-clothes-my-money-and-i-will-likely-not-think/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The new American dream is one of responsibility. What is the bottom-line number that you're going to be able to pay back toward a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/the-new-american-dream-is-one-of-responsibility-what-is-the-bottom/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) [Browse all 268 Borrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borrow/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The words you can't find, you borrow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gabrielle Zevin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Borrow" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/gabrielle-zevin-626_borrow_the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-4554_455407.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/gabrielle-zevin-626_borrow_the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-4554_455407.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/gabrielle-zevin-626_borrow_the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow-4554_455407.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The words you can't find, you borrow.” — Gabrielle Zevin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gabrielle Zevin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The words you can't find, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/the-words-you-can-t-find-you-borrow/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```