欢迎来到VOA在线收网 www.voa365.com
当前位置:VOA NEWS > VOA慢速英语 > 词汇掌故 >

Farm Terms Are Good for Business

2017-03-26 20:20来源:未知

音频下载

This farmer harvests soybeans using farming equipment in the U.S. state of Illinois. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.

 

Today, we are down on the farm!

 

Since the 16th century, the word "farm" has meant "land used for agricultural purposes." But a much older meaning is related to economics. The English word farm comes from the Latin word firma, which means an unchanging payment.

 

Experts say the earliest meaning of "farm" was a yearly payment made on a loan or as a tax. Centuries ago, English farmers did not own their land. They made payments to the owner for the right to grow crops.

 

Okay, so the word “farm” has roots in economics. Therefore, it’s no surprise to hear about someone buying a farm -- a farm. That is very different from someone who has bought the farm. When someone tells you that someone bought the farm, do not offer your congratulations. “Bought the farm” is a light-hearted way to say that a person has died.

 

Now, “buying the farm” is very different from betting the farm. When you bet the farm, you are willing to risk everything because you are confident in something. Used in conversation, it may sound like this: “Jack was out really late last night. I'm willing to bet the farm that today he will be late for work.”

 

So, you can buy, own or bet a farm. You can also just farm, as in the verb. But today, the verb “farm” has come to mean something more than raising crops. To farm something out means to give work or duties to someone else to finish.

 

This “farming” action is quite different from planting and raising crops. To do that, farmers plant seeds. You could say that seeds start the growth process. In business, seed money is the financing you need to launch a project or company.

 

Now, sometimes we call the act of raising crops "sowing crops." To sow means to plant seeds in the ground. The verb “sow” also means to set in motion or to cause something to exist -- especially things such as fear, doubt or suspicion.

 

We use the word “sow” in two common idioms.

 

Let’s say you have a friend who shows a lack of common sense and does stupid, crazy things. You might defend their behavior by saying: “Oh, he doesn’t mean any harm. He’s just sowing his wild oats.” When someone “sows their wild oats” they act foolishly and make bad decisions when they are young.

 

Many people learn from their wild mistakes of youth -- some the hard way. They might have to reap what they sow. This expression means that we all must deal with the results of our actions. Young and old alike might one day have to reap what they sow.

 

However, if your friend continues to act foolishly, you could plant a seed of caution in him. To plant a seed in someone is to influence another person’s thinking or behavior. And as we just heard, you can plant a seed of something. Americans often use the expression to plant a seed of doubt.

 

If that “seed” -- whether of doubt, caution or some other idea -- takes root, it begins to develop into something bigger. If it dies on the vine, it doesn’t grow into anything worth keeping -- just something else to clean up.

 

We can also say that a plant, person or idea has gone to seed. To go to seed is to "worsen in condition because of lack of care." This expression is based on the actual meaning of plants that “go to seed.” They stop producing flowers and start producing seeds.

 

Now, let’s hear these common farming expressions used in a casual conversation about work.

 

Two friends on their way to work stop for coffee and to “talk shop” -- they talk about work.

 

Dialogue:

 

I want to stop for coffee before heading into work. Do you have time?

 

Sure. Actually, I want to hear about your new start-up. So, how is your new product launch going?

 

It’s going better now. But I ran into a rough patch a few weeks ago.

 

What happened?

 

Well, a man who worked for me was trying to steal my customers. After every meeting with a customer, he would pull them aside and try to plant seeds of doubt about whether my business was the right fit for them.

 

Wow, that’s awful. What did you do?

 

I fired him.

 

It’s a good thing his attempts to hurt your business didn’t take root.

 

Actually, in the end, it only hurt him. Word got around and now people don’t trust him. So, he hasn’t been able to find another job. I saw him the other day and he looks awful. He has really gone to seed.

 

You know what they say: “You reap what you sow.” If you do bad things, you will sooner or later have to deal the results.

 

That is so true. But now, I have another problem -- money. I used up all the seed money I had saved for the project.

 

I know you pretty well. I’ll bet the farm that you will not let your business die on the vine.

 

No way. I have already found another investor. And I started farming out the art work to some university students. That will save me a lot of money.

 

Well, it sounds like you’re really busy, but happy.

 

I love my work. You know, I was talking to an old college friend last night. We both sowed our wild oats when we were younger. Now, that we’re older and, hopefully, wiser we are perfectly happy spending much of our time on work.

 

You know, I never did anything too crazy when I was younger. Maybe these restless feelings I have are my wild oats that I didn’t sow. Maybe I’ll quit my job and travel around Europe for a month!

 

That sounds fun. But let me plant a seed of caution -- before you quit your job, save up a lot of money and have another job waiting for when you get back.

 

Well that doesn’t sound like a crazy, wild time.

 

Exactly. You’re not in your 20s any more.

 

Good point. Well, here’s our coffee order.

 

This one’s on me. If you’re going to be traveling around Europe, you’d better start saving your money now.

Cheers!

Cheers!

 

And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories. Hopefully some of these farm expressions will take root in your everyday English.


Words in This Story

 

 

light-hearted adj. free from care, anxiety or seriousness

 

doubt n. a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something

 

neglect v. to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness

 

talk shop informal phrase to talk about work: They like to talk shop during lunch.

 

start-up n. a newly established business

 

reap v. cut or gather (a crop or harvest)

 

(责任编辑:v365)
最新新闻
  1. 网传日月光Q4产能利用率降至70%
  2. 新型存储器已经开始增长,到20
  3. 市场人士透露:联发科在汽车芯片
  4. 【VOA在线闲聊】三星收购Arm会步英
  5. Nikola召回迄今为止生产的93辆Nik
  6. 蚂蚁数科两项区块链专利完成一对
  7. 蔚来申请注册“NIO CERTIFIED 蔚来官
  8. 获小米超千万投资 改装车公司工
  9. 法拉第未来首款电动汽车FF 91再次
  10. 消息称LG显示计划明年生产920万块
  11. 宝马面向欧洲市场推出最小的跨界
  12. 美国副总统哈里斯承诺就电动汽车
  13. 知情人士透露称马斯克和推特CE
  14. 因苹果缩减订单 台积电或修改明
  15. LG推出一项新技术,以开放局域网
  16. 小米13正式上线:骁龙8Gen2发布1
  17. 米家3 KG迷你洗衣机售价699元
  18. 苹果公司官方非常兴奋:印度将生
  19. 中国广电在全国31个省区开通广电
  20. 华为 Mate 50 Pro国外上市:售价远高
  21. 特斯拉柏林超级工厂回收工厂发生
  22. 华为 Mate 50原价4999
  23. iPhone 14销售比上一代下降了11%
  24. 2021至2025中国台湾将投350亿元新台
  25. 华为Mate50Pro预定5 G芯片,苹果公司
  26. 锐龙7000核显性能实测 单核及多核
  27. 索尼PS5最新更新:6 nm制程功率与
  28. 华为会议马上就要开始了!一种全
  29. 小米再次成为了冠军!该系列产品
  30. 还能吸收病毒?!戴森首个产品也
  31. 小米又推出了一款新产品,售价
  32. Imagination携手百度飞桨创建Model
  33. 奔驰要不要再加价?2024将发布
  34. TikTok在英国或被罚款2900万美元 被
  35. iPhone15PM改用 ULTRA:笔记本和 iPa
  36. 因库存不断提升存储芯片持续降价
  37. 预计小米Civi2将推出五款新产品
  38. 可靠商务桌面电脑推荐:联想M4
  39. 受飓风影响:NASA撤回阿尔忒弥斯
  40. 《三体》影迷们疯狂了!
  41. 4090设计实在是太离谱了!
  42. Meta试图Facebook和Instagram账户添加到
  43. 苹果公司在技术上遭受重大挫折,
  44. 我国成功发射遥感三十六号卫星,
  45. 骁龙8Gen2+120 W快速充电!小米13系
  46. 屏幕下手机价格大跌,灵动岛安卓
  47. 亚马逊宣布下月举办新会员促销活
  48. 酷睿i9-13900K预告片,5.8 GHz稳定!
  49. 美国流媒体巨头Netflix宣布在芬兰
  50. 外科手术机器人 商业化将加快世