What are the definitions of “farm out”?
Learn how to use these expressions through these examples
- 1Give or contract work to someone else.
The company wants to FARM OUT their maintenance.
What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “farm out”?
The most common meaning of the phrasal verb farm out is to give or contract work to someone else, usually to an external party or a subcontractor. This is often done to save costs or to delegate tasks to specialists.
What are the different verb forms of “farm out”?
| Root Verb | farm out |
| Third Person Singular Present | farms out |
| Present Participle | farming out |
| Simple Past | farmed out |
| Past Participle | farmed out |
Example
The company decided to farm out their IT support.
Example
She farms out the accounting work to a freelancer.
Example
They are farming out the marketing tasks to an agency.
Example
Last year, they farmed out the manufacturing process.
Example
The project was farmed out to a team of experts.
What kind of phrasal verb is “farm out”?
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a transitive and intransitive verb? - A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.) - An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)
Transitive verb
“farm out” is a transitive phrasal verb because it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The direct object specifies what is being removed, obtained, or eliminated.
Example
The manager farmed out the design work to a freelancer.
Example
They farmed the project out to a consulting firm.
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb? - A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle. - An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.
Inseparable
“farm out” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.
Example
The manager farmed out the design work to a freelancer.
Example
They farmed the project out to a consulting firm.
What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “farm out”?
To have a product manufactured by an external company, often to save costs or to focus on other aspects of the business.
Example
The clothing brand farmed out production to a factory overseas.
Good things to know
Does “farm out” have an informal or formal tone?
Farm out is a neutral phrasal verb that can be used in both informal and formal contexts. It is commonly used in business and professional settings to discuss outsourcing or delegating tasks to external parties.
