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to buy the farm
01
to cease to be alive
![to [buy] the farm definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/17775/original/dead?type=jpeg "to [buy] the farm definition and meaning")
What is the origin of the idiom "buy the farm" and when to use it?
The idiom "buy the farm" is believed to have originated during or after World War II, particularly among U.S. military personnel. The phrase refers to the death of a soldier during combat, where the soldier's life insurance policy would pay out to his beneficiaries, enabling them to "buy the farm" with the insurance money. Over time, the expression evolved and is now used more broadly to describe someone's death, often in a casual or euphemistic manner.
Example
Unfortunately, when the mountaineer lost his footing, he fell to his death, buying the farm in a tragic accident.
The aging actor had a heart attack while on stage, and he bought the farm right in front of the audience.
When the old car finally gave out on the highway, the driver had to be towed, and it felt like the car had bought the farm.
Did you hear that old Walt bought the farm?
In the crash landing, the pilot miraculously survived, but the plane bought the farm, becoming a complete wreck.
