buy the farm

To die, espescially in combat; most likely from the idea that a dead soldier's death benifit would serve to pay off his family's morgtage. Often shortened to "bought it."

Chuck Lindberg later recalled the hazards of lugging a tank that carried seventy-two pounds of... napalm... under twelve hundred pounds of pressure... "It was dangerous work. A lot of guys bought the farm trying that."

--James Bradley, in Flags of our Fathers

by Pink January 31, 2004

buy the farm

A synonym for "die".

"If you don't know how to handle your BAR effectively while keeping your head down, you could buy the farm."
-a DI during WWII

by Dave September 27, 2004

buy a farm

Literally means: to die.
A phrase made popular by Robert A. Heinlein's "Starship Troopers".

Shortened version: to buy it

"However, you are just as dead if you buy a farm in an "incident" as you are if you buy it in a declared war."

by tanith first and only January 01, 2009

buy the farm

to die, a synonym of "kick the bucket".

Billy: "So how's your uncle Jimmy doing?"
Bob: "Pretty good. You know that farm he was going to buy? The big one in Kansas with all those cows and shit, you know? Yeah, well he bought it."
Billy: "No way, you mean he bought the farm?"
Bob: "Yeah isn't that the bomb diggity?"
Billy: "You're sick, man. That's really fucking sad."

by Nick D October 28, 2003

buy the farm

Buy the farm was originated with pilots. Mostly military.
If something from the government crashes on to a farm - like a military plane, the government 'buy the farm'. as in the land that it destroyed. The pilot is dead because of the impact...

Bob : You know Dave? He bought the farm whilst on a training excerise last week

by Jonny February 07, 2004

buy the farm

to die, especially in combat

They knew that if their father were to buy the farm they would have to sell the farm.

by The Return of Light Joker July 04, 2011

buy the farm

This term was used during World War 2 whenever a Allied Pilot would have to make a crash landing into a European farm/house. WW2 pilots who did this were actually charged for the damages they caused and actually in a sense:
"bought the farm"

Pilot: "I crashed landed my P-51 Mustang into this ladies barn and livestock."
Crewman: "Guess ya bought the farm ehh?"

by Gibbs October 12, 2004