Can I borrow sb's brains?

[AnaZ]

Hi!

Here I am asking for help again!

I know the expression "to pick somebody's brains" exists and I'm aware of its meaning but I could swear the expression "to borrow somebody's brains" also existed and had basically the same meaning as the first one. However, recently a native speaker of English (from the UK, but living in Portugal for many years) told me that the use of the verb borrow in this context was not correct!

I must say I was a bit confused since I had the impression of having heard it all my life. That was when I thought: "Maybe this is only used in the US!".

Can anybody clear this up, please!

Thank's,
Ana

 

[riverkid]

Hi!

Here I am asking for help again!

I know the expression "to pick somebody's brains" exists and I'm aware of its meaning but I could swear the expression "to borrow somebody's brains" also existed and had basically the same meaning as the first one. However, recently a native speaker of English (from the UK, but living in Portugal for many years) told me that the use of the verb borrow in this context was not correct!

I must say I was a bit confused since I had the impression of having heard it all my life. That was when I thought: "Maybe this is only used in the US!".

Can anybody clear this up, please!

Thank's,
Ana

It's certainly a possibility, Ana. It means use the thinking capacity of another brain, to get a second opinion, etc.

Results 1 - 10 of about 11,300 English pages for "borrow your brain".

 

[BobK]

Hi!

Here I am asking for help again!

I know the expression "to pick somebody's brains" exists and I'm aware of its meaning but I could swear the expression "to borrow somebody's brains" also existed [:up: - as RK said] and had basically the same meaning as the first one [:down:]...

When you pick someone's brains you acquire specialist knowledge that they have, you don't make use of their thinking capacity (except in that they have to be awake!)

b

 

[AnaZ]

Ok... I see the difference And now I can see why I've been told that in the context I was using "borrow" it wasn't correct! Thank you both for helping!! Ana