farmed out

[dkrizik]

where did this saying come from? Why does it mean to give away work to another person or business?

[Fern57]

From a district of country leased (or farmed) out for the collection of the revenues of government.

Hope this helps

[Peter Pedant]

My farming in laws are not available at present...but when my sister in law bought a big field, she rang up a local farmer and invited him to take a crop off it and pay her ! Which he did, like pretty damn quick !

So I reckon it is as old as farming - which in England is oooo 6000 years old.

Ta farming features in the NT 2000 years old - does that count ?