Phrase
buy the farm
/bai ðə fɑːm/
verb
去世,失去维持生命的所有身体功能
- 1.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
去世,失去维持生命的所有身体功能
(北美；非正式)死亡
In use
After a long illness, his grandfather finally bought the farm.
The old rancher bought the farm in a freak accident.
If I don't quit smoking, I might buy the farm early.
subject + bought the farm
常用于过去时，表示意外死亡。
He bought the farm in a car accident.
他在一场车祸中丧生了。
subject + will buy the farm
用于未来推测，语气非正式。
If he keeps smoking, he will buy the farm early.
如果他继续抽烟，他会早死的。
subject + almost bought the farm
表示死里逃生。
She almost bought the farm when the cliff collapsed.
悬崖崩塌时她差点丧命。
Common mistakes
He bought a farm last week.He bought the farm last week.
习语“buy the farm”是固定搭配，必须使用定冠词the；使用不定冠词a会变成字面意思“买了一个农场”，无法表达“死亡”的含义。
The farm was bought by him yesterday.He bought the farm yesterday.
被动语态破坏了习语“buy the farm”的固定结构，无法传达“死亡”的含义；正确用法是保持主动语态和完整习语形式。
Connections
Confusing words
- kick the bucket
- 去世 · 与'buy the farm'相比，'kick the bucket'也指死亡，但更古老且带有诙谐色彩，二者在非正式语域中可互换，但后者更常见于北美口语。
- bite the dust
- 死亡 · 'buy the farm'专指死亡，而'bite the dust'除指死亡外，还可表示失败或倒下，使用时需根据上下文判断。
- pass away
- 去世 · 'buy the farm'是非正式俚语，而'pass away'是正式委婉语，二者在语域上有明显区别，学习者易因同义混淆。
Learner notes
Grammar Note
非正式
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.