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    How did the phrase 'buy the farm' come to mean to perish or die?

    Question #18697. Asked by Inquiring Mind. (May 02 02 1:26 AM)


    mk2norwich

    		A long time ago I read one of these Urban Legends regarding the origins of certain sayings, and it went a little something like this: In a time when many farming communities existed, families were very reliant on the man of the house for their way of life. Sometimes a rich landowner would, out of mercy, purchase the land for the family on the death of the husband, so that the rent would no longer have to be paid, and the widow and children need not starve Hence 'Buy the farm' !

    May 02 02, 4:34 AM

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