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farm out

B2 informal separable transitive
In simple words

To give your work or a person to someone else to take care of.

Literal meaning: Originally referred to sending farm animals or land out to be managed by others — the metaphor of delegating care.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

To send work or a task to an external person or company to complete.

"The agency farmed out the graphic design work to a studio in Barcelona."

Grammar: separable
2 B2 idiomatic informal

To send a person (such as a child or employee) to be cared for or trained by someone else.

"While their parents were working abroad, the children were farmed out to different relatives."

Grammar: separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal

(Sports) To loan a player to a lower-level team for more playing time.

"The young midfielder was farmed out to a lower-division club to gain experience."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Common in business, journalism, and everyday speech. Originally from the practice of sending children to live with other families. Can feel slightly negative, implying the original party is passing on a burden.

Commonly used with

work contract children task production services

Forms

Base
farm out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
farms out
he/she/it
Past simple
farmed out
yesterday
Past participle
farmed out
have + pp
-ing form
farming out
continuous

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Synonyms

outsource subcontract delegate hand off pass on contract out

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