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poor farm

American  

noun

  1. a farm maintained at public expense for the housing and support of paupers.


Etymology

Origin of poor farm

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The discovery of a dragon’s egg puts a poor farm boy on the path to his destiny to be a Dragon Rider and defeat an evil king.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 24, 2020

A brief history of the Washington County poor farm, orphanage and homes for aged men and aged women is posted on the county website.

From Washington Times Dec. 29, 2019

Magpie bridge: China's relay satellite takes its name from the story of a goddess's daughter who falls in love with a poor farm hand.

From BBC Jan. 3, 2019

Fitzgerald's hero, the poor farm boy named Jimmy Gatz who reinvents himself as Jay Gatsby, who "sprang from a Platonic conception of himself", epitomises the self-made man.

From The Guardian May 3, 2013

Maybe if she told them about the bear—about how close her family’d come to moving to the poor farm.

From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson

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