ENGLISH
REFERENCE

farm out

idiom
Meaning

To subcontract (a task, responsibility, etc.) to another; to outsource.


Origin

disputed origin

From farm + out.

Examples
SIMPLE

We farm out our accounting work to a local firm.

CONTEXTUAL

The company decided to farm out its customer service tasks to an agency in another country to save money.

COMPLEX

Rather than managing the complex logistics internally, the corporation chose to farm out the entire distribution process to a specialized third-party provider.

Anchors to
Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    bet the farm

    To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.

  2. 02

    buy the farm

    To die; generally, to die in battle or in a plane crash.

  3. 03

    farm nigger

    A supposedly inferior black person whose intellect is compared to that of a field hand.

  4. 04

    give away the farm

    To pay more than one should have; to pay more than fair market value.

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