Buy the farm
Significado: To die, especially in a sudden or unexpected way.
A dark-humored euphemism for dying. Most commonly used in military and aviation contexts, but also appears in everyday American speech. It softens the topic of death with rural imagery, making it easier to discuss uncomfortable subjects with a touch of humor.
Ejemplos
- He nearly bought the farm when that truck ran the red light. 那辆卡车闯红灯的时候,他差点就没命了。Casi la palma cuando aquel camión se saltó el semáforo en rojo.あのトラックが赤信号を無視した時、彼は危うく死ぬところだった。그 트럭이 빨간불을 무시했을 때, 그는 하마터면 죽을 뻔했어.
- If that engine had failed over the ocean, we would have bought the farm. 如果引擎在大洋上空失灵的话,我们就完了。Si el motor hubiera fallado sobre el océano, la habríamos palmado.もし海の上でエンジンが故障していたら、命はなかっただろう。바다 위에서 엔진이 고장 났으면, 우리는 끝장이었을 거야.
- My grandfather almost bought the farm in Korea, but he made it home. 我爷爷在朝鲜战争中差点丢了命,但他最终平安回了家。Mi abuelo casi muere en Corea, pero logró volver a casa.祖父は朝鮮戦争で死にかけたが、無事に帰還した。할아버지는 한국전쟁에서 죽을 뻔했지만, 무사히 귀환하셨어.
Pronunciación
Guía de uso
Contexto: military, storytelling, dark humor
Tono: dark humor, blunt
✓ Correcto
- He almost bought the farm.他差点就没命了。Casi la palma.彼は危うく死ぬところだった。그는 하마터면 죽을 뻔했어.
- That stunt nearly made me buy the farm.那个特技差点要了我的命。Esa maniobra casi me cuesta la vida.あのスタントで死にかけたよ。그 묘기 때문에 하마터면 죽을 뻔했어.
✗ Incorrecto
- Don't use it when someone has actually died recently — it's too flippant for genuine grief不要在有人最近真的去世时使用——对于真正的悲痛来说太轻浮了No lo uses cuando alguien ha fallecido recientemente de verdad — es demasiado frívolo para un duelo genuino実際に最近亡くなった方がいる場合は使わないこと——本当の悲しみに対しては軽率すぎる최근에 실제로 누군가가 사망했을 때 사용하지 말 것 — 진짜 슬픔 앞에서 너무 경솔하게 들린다
Origen e historia
From military aviation slang. One theory: when a military plane crashed on farmland, the government paid the farmer for damages — effectively 'buying the farm.' Another links it to servicemen's life insurance paying off the family mortgage. Popular since the 1950s.
Contexto cultural
Era: 1950s-present
Generation: Boomers, Gen X
Social background: Universal
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