farm out
To subcontract (a task, responsibility, etc.) to another; to outsource.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“We farm out our accounting work to a local firm.”
“The company decided to farm out its customer service tasks to an agency in another country to save money.”
“Rather than managing the complex logistics internally, the corporation chose to farm out the entire distribution process to a specialized third-party provider.”
From the verb *farm*, in the sense of to cleanse or clean, plus *out*. The term originates from the practice of clearing or cleaning something by removal.
- 01
bet the farm
To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.
- 02
buy the farm
To die; generally, to die in battle or in a plane crash.
- 03
farm nigger
A supposedly inferior black person whose intellect is compared to that of a field hand.
- 04
give away the farm
To pay more than one should have; to pay more than fair market value.
Last updated August 10, 2026