Meaning: To die, particularly in an accident or military action.

 

Origin:  Many think this saying comes from the idea that death benefits paid to one's family, especially from the armed forces, were at one time enough to pay off the mortgage to the home, or farm, for the family the deceased left behind. Or, possibly a cynical reference to a common sentiment held by draftees, expressing the desire to settle down and buy a farm when the war is over.

 

While the origin of this phrase is uncertain. It is 20th century and all the early references to it relate to the US military. The New York Times Magazine, March 1954, had a related phrase, in a glossary of jet pilots' slang:

 

"Bought a plot, had a fatal crash."

 

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “buy” as to suffer some mishap; to get killed; to die;

 

The earliest use of “buy” in this sense dates to 1825, more than a century before the earliest appearance of “buy the farm”.

 

In this sense “the farm” is a slang to reference to a burial plot (i.e. a piece of ground). “Buy a plot” appeared around the time of “buy the farm” meaning the same thing.