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poor farm
noun
: a farm maintained at public expense for the support and employment of needy persons
Examples of poor farm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Painful departures will need to happen in order to populate an incredibly poor farm system with a new stable of talent.
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Sam Blum, The Athletic, 19 July 2024
However, twinkling stars, Captain Kirk and moon milestones could take a poor farm worker only so far.
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Contributing Writer, Orange County Register, 23 Apr. 2024
The white-planked barn with high cathedral ceilings was built in 1911, replacing a former structure, and is the sole remnant of the county’s poor farm, where the area’s indigent and people in need lived and worked for decades.
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Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2024
According to a history of Oak Forest, a poor farm was established in 1910 on the land that was intended to relieve overcrowded conditions at the county’s existing poor farm on Chicago’s Northwest Side.
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Mike Nolan, chicagotribune.com, 27 Nov. 2020
And, perhaps, more worthy of the respect for which a poor farm girl once longed.
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Sarah Smarsh, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
The forest preserve district’s plans for the Oak Forest Heritage Preserve, along with recreational trails, include a historical museum to educate the public about the poor farm’s history.
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Mike Nolan, chicagotribune.com, 27 Nov. 2020
The poor farm stayed in that location until 1881, when an arsonist burned down the building.
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Jess Cohen, Post-Tribune, 18 May 2018
And one of the buildings featured on its Historic Preservation Month posters is Knox County's own poor farm.
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Jess Cohen, Post-Tribune, 18 May 2018
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Word History
First Known Use
1852, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near poor farm
Cite this Entry
“Poor farm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poor%20farm. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
poor farm
noun
: a farm kept by the government for the support and employment of poor people
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