neither a borrower nor a lender be
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
It is not good to borrow money from anybody, lest you will lose their trust and friendship.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “neither a borrower nor a lender be” mean?
It is not good to borrow money from anybody, lest you will lose their trust and friendship.
Is “neither a borrower nor a lender be” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.