farm
farm / färm/ • n. an area of land and its buildings used for growing crops and rearing animals, typically under the control of one owner or manager. ∎ a place for breeding a particular type of animal or producing a specified crop: a fish farm. ∎ an establishment at which something is produced or processed: an energy farm.• v. 1. [intr.] make one's living by growing crops or keeping livestock: he has farmed organically for five years. ∎ [tr.] use (land) for growing crops and rearing animals, esp. commercially. ∎ [tr.] breed or grow commercially (a type of livestock or crop, esp. one not normally domesticated or cultivated).2. [tr.] (farm someone/something out) send out or subcontract work to others: it saves time and money to farm out some writing work to specialized companies. ∎ arrange for a child or other dependent person to be looked after by someone, usually for payment. ∎ send a sports player to a farm team.3. [tr.] hist. allow someone to collect and keep the revenues from (a tax) on payment of a fee: the customs had been farmed to the collector for a fixed sum. DERIVATIVES: farm·a·ble / ˈfärməbəl/ adj.