# buy it

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/buy-it
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To believe any particular assertion or idea; to support it.

## Examples

- He told a strange story, but I did not buy it.
- She says she is sick, but I do not buy it.
- Do you really buy it when he makes those excuses?
- The salesperson claimed the car was in perfect condition, but I did not buy it.
- My roommate says he forgot to wash the dishes, but I don't buy it because he has been playing video games all afternoon.
- The manager thinks a longer lunch break will improve our focus, and the whole team seems to buy it.
- If you try to tell the teacher that your dog ate your homework, she definitely won't buy it.
- Although the politician offered a polished explanation for the scandal, the public simply did not buy it.

## Origin

The idiom is recorded as early as the 1820s in the sense of dying, which likely predates the variant expression buy the farm. The latter is thought to be an extension of the former. In its sense of accepting a premise or believing a story, the phrase is considered an elliptical allusion to a customer accepting a sales pitch. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.