jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman) (10/29/85)
Does anyone know the origin of the phrase, "bought the farm"? -- Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) "Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent..." {amdahl, sun}!rtech!jeff {ucbvax, decvax}!mtxinu!rtech!jeff
hobs@ihu1n.UUCP (John A. Hobson) (10/30/85)
> Does anyone know the origin of the phrase, "bought the farm"? > -- > Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) When Roman soldiers were retired in one of the provinces, they were traditionally given a grant of land, so as to further the work of transplanting Roman culture among the barbarians. So if a man "bought the farm", he was no longer in the Army. It sounds a bit better than "killed". -- John Hobson AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihu1n!hobs
pweiss@sun.uucp (Paul Weiss) (10/31/85)
> Does anyone know the origin of the phrase, "bought the farm"? > -- I have heard that it's a reference to insurance policies. The farmer's life insurance policy was written to the value of the farm. When the tractor rolled over on him, he had "bought the farm". Now I've got one: whence "That's all she wrote"?