farm
n. · v.-
1 agricultural land (n.) A1 Beginner Agriculturean area of land and its buildings used for growing crops or raising animals.
a tract of land, including associated buildings, dedicated to the cultivation of crops or the husbandry of livestock.
ExampleThey live on a small farm where they grow organic vegetables and keep chickens.
ExampleThe family-run farm transitioned to sustainable viticulture after decades of intensive wheat production.
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2 industrial/server group (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computinga group of similar things, like computers or wind turbines, kept in one place.
a collection of similar equipment or structures, such as servers or turbines, functioning as a coordinated system.
ExampleThe company maintains a huge server farm to handle all the website traffic.
ExampleThe offshore wind farm consists of fifty turbines capable of powering the entire coastal district.
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3 to work the land (v.) A2 Elementary Agricultureto grow crops or look after animals as a job.
to engage in the business of agriculture; to cultivate land or manage livestock for production.
ExampleHis family has farmed this land for over three generations.
ExampleSmallholders in the region continue to farm the steep hillsides using traditional manual techniques.
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4 gaming/digital collection (v.) B2 Upper Intermediate Slang Informal Computingto do the same task many times in a game to get rewards or items.
to perform repetitive actions in a digital environment to accumulate currency, experience, or specific items.
ExampleI spent all weekend farming for rare materials to upgrade my character's armour.
ExamplePlayers often farm the lower-level dungeons to gather the resources necessary for high-tier crafting.
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5 to farm out (v.) B2 Upper Intermediateto give work to other people or companies instead of doing it yourself.
to delegate or subcontract tasks or functions to an external party.
ExampleThe main office decided to farm out the accounting work to a local firm.
ExampleThe agency chose to farm out the graphic design components of the campaign to a specialised boutique studio.
UsageUsually used as the phrasal verb 'farm out'.
- subcontract
- delegate
- outsource
Inherited from Middle English ferme, farme (“rent, revenue, produce, factor, stewardship, meal, feast”), influenced by Anglo-Norman ferme (“rent, lease, farm”), from Medieval Latin ferma, firma. There is debate as to whether Medieval Latin acquired this term from Old English feorm (“rent, provision, supplies, feast”), from Proto-Germanic fermō, firhuma- (“means of living, subsistence”), from Proto-Germanic ferhwō (“life force, body, being”), from Proto-Indo-European perkʷ- (“life, force, strength, tree”); or from Latin firmus (“solid, secure”), from Proto-Italic fermos, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-mo-s (“holding”), from the root *dʰer- (“to hold”). If the former etymology is correct, the term is related to Old English feorh (“life, spirit”), Icelandic fjör (“life, vitality, vigour, animation”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍈𐌿𐍃 (fairƕus, “the world”). Compare also Old English feormehām (“farm”), feormere (“purveyor, supplier, grocer”). Cognate with Scots ferm (“rent, farm”).
From Middle English fermen, from Anglo-Norman fermer (“to let out for a fixed payment, lease, rent”) ultimately from the same Old English source as Etymology 1. Compare Old English feormian (“to feed, supply with food, sustain”).
From Middle English fermen, from Old English feormian (“to clean, cleanse”), from Proto-West Germanic *furbēn (“to clean, polish, buff”). Doublet of furbish.