farm

farm [färm]

n.

[ME < OFr ferme < ML firma, fixed payment, farm < firmare, to farm, lease, orig., to make a contract < L, to make firm, secure < firmus, FIRM¹]

1.

a) Obs. a fixed sum payable at regular intervals, as rent or taxes

b) the letting out, for a fixed amount, of the collection of taxes, with the privilege of keeping all that is collected

c) the condition of being let out at a fixed rent

2. a district of a country leased out by a government for the collection of taxes

3. a piece of land (with house, barns, etc.) on which crops or animals are raised: orig., such land let out to tenants

4. any place where certain things are raised [a tract of water for raising fish is a fish farm]

5. Sports a minor-league team, esp. a baseball team, having an agreement with a major-league team to train its young or inexperienced players: in full farm club (or team)

vt.

1. to cultivate (land)

2. to cultivate or rear (plants or animals) on a farm

3. to collect the taxes and other fees of (a business) on a commission basis or for a fixed amount

4. to turn over to another for a fee

vi.

to work on or operate a farm; raise crops or animals on a farm

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farm out

1. to rent (land, a business, etc.) in return for a fixed payment

2. to send (work) from a shop, office, etc. to workers on the outside

3. to let out the labor of (a convict, etc.) for a fixed amount

4. to destroy the fertility of (land), as by failing to rotate crops

☆ 5. Baseball to assign to a FARM (n. 5)