Forms: 5–7 ferme, 6–7 farme, 7– farm. [f. FARM sb.2]
1. trans. To take or hold for a term at a fixed payment, † a. To rent (land, etc.). Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 157. Fermyn, or take a þynge to ferme.
1530. Palsgr., 548/1. I haue fermed his house and al the lande he hath in this towne, jay prins a ferme [etc.].
1602. Shaks., Ham., IV. iv. 20 (Qo.).
| We go to gain a little patch of ground | |
| That hath in it no profit but the name. | |
| To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it. |
1695. Bp. Patrick, Comm. Gen., 259. The three fore-named Families were near Neighbours to Abram; who, it is likely, farmed (as we now speak) some Ground of them: ans so entred into a League of Mutual Defence, having the same Interest.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1721), Add. 10. The Valley is farm’d of the Grand Signior at 1200 Dollars per Annum.
fig. absol.
1641. Milton, Prel. Episc. (1851), 88. To betake them with all speed to their starting hole of tradition, and that wild, and overgrowne Covert of antiquity thinking to farme there at large roome.
b. To take the fees, proceeds, or profits of (an office, tax, etc.) on payment of a fixed sum.
1569. J. Parkhurst, Injunctions. None of you shall ferme one cure … within this Dioces.
1606. Holland, Sueton., Annot. 12. These Publicanes, so called for that they fermed their Cities revenewes.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, V. xxvii. (1647), 276. The Guardian farmeth the Sepulchre of the Turk at a yearly rent.
1667. Pepys, Diary (1879), IV. 427. The two women that farm the well.
1738. Johnson, London, 57.
| Let such raise palaces, and manors buy, | |
| Collect a tax, or farm a lottery. |
1861. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 41–2. The Tidemann farmed for many years the tin-mines belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall.
transf. 1888. Daily News, 19 Sept., 3/1. Colonel Mapleson … as he could get no one to farm him … had … to farm others, and he became an impresario.
2. To let to another during a specified term on condition of receiving a specified payment. Also, To farm out.
a. To lease or let (land) to a tenant. Now rare.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. iv. 45. We are inforc’d to farme our royall Realme.
1695. Kennett, Par. Antiq., Pref., 3. The Lands were farm’d out for near the full Rent in money.
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. iii. 264. To raise money for the King, by farming out his lands.
1847. G. P. R. James, The Convict, vi. Is not the land you cultivate your own, as much or more than his that he farms to others?
b. To lease or let the proceeds or profits of (customs, taxes, tithes, an undertaking) for a fixed payment.
1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., III. i. (Arb.), 35. My promise for farming my tithes at such a rate.
1672. Petty, Pol. Anat., 362. The customs … yielded anno 1657, under 12000l. but was farmed anno 1658, for above thrice that sum.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Two Oxford Scholars, Wks. 1730, I. 9. If I be minded to farm out my Tythes, my Parishioners will bid me half the worth of them.
1817. Coleridge, Biog. Lit., 274. The concern should be farmed to some responsible individual.
1845. M’Culloch, Taxation, Introd. (1852), 31. Any attempt to farm taxes on income … would excite the most violent clamour.
1879. Farrar, St. Paul (1883), 249. Augustus had farmed the copper-mines to Herod the Great.
c. To let the labour of († cattle, persons) for hire.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 55. Other buy Kie to farme them out to other.
1777. W. Robertson, Hist. Amer. (1778), I. III. 182. They farmed out the Indians.
1783. Burke, Sp. Fox’s E. India Bill, Wks. IV. 83. They have … continued to farm their subjects … to that very nabob.
transf. 1790. Boswell, in Mad. D’Arblay’s Diary, Oct. I would farm you out myself for double, treble the money!
3. To contract for the maintenance and care of (persons, an institution, etc.) at a stipulated price. Also To farm out.
1666. Pepys, Diary (1879), IV. 100. A proposal made heretofore to farm the Navy.
1773. Observ. State Poor, 39. The patrons of the practice of farming workhouses.
1791. Bentham, Panopt., II. 82. Oh, but this contract-plan—it’s like farming the poor.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist (1850), 3/1. The parish authorities … resolved, that Oliver should be ‘farmed.’
1862. W. W. Story, Roba di Roma (1864), I. iii. 34. The support of these poor criminal slaves is farmed out by the government to some responsible person at the lowest rate that is offered.
4. To cultivate, till.
1806. Gazetteer Scot. (ed. 2), 88. Many of the proprietors farm their own estates.
1841. M. Elphinstone, The History of India, II. 179. He farmed a small spot of land belonging to a Bramin astrologer.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), I. 557. The different degrees of skill and economy with which they are farmed.
5. intr. To follow the occupation of a farmer; to till the soil.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. i. 6. I farmed upon my own land.
1807. Crabbe, Village, I. 40.
| I grant indeed that fields and flocks have charms, | |
| For him that gazes or for him that farms. |
Hence Farmed ppl. a.
1888. Daily News, 11 Dec., 4/6. A drop of 14 per cent. had occurred in labourers’ wages over the farmed surface of England. Ibid. (1889), 25 Nov., 5/3. The survivor of the farmed children.
