buy it

English

Etymology

• In the die sense, apparently attested since the 1820s, thus earlier than the variant buy the farm, which may be an extension of it.
• In the have it sense, an elliptical allusion to believing a sales pitch.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

buy it (third-person singular simple present buys it, present participle buying it, simple past and past participle bought it)

2. (slang) To die.

   Synonyms: buy the farm, kick the bucket; see also Thesaurus:die

   He bought it in a shootout.

4. To believe any particular assertion or idea.

   Synonym: have it

   Hyponym: buy into it

   He claims that he'll pay me back, but I don't buy it.

   He was claiming that he'd pay her back, but she wasn't buying it.

Usage notes

• The die sense is usually used in the preterite and in the perfect aspect (denoting notionally instantaneous finality).