employ
to hire or engage the services of (a person or persons); provide employment for; have or keep in one's service: This factory employs thousands of people.
to keep busy or at work; engage the attentions of: He employs himself by reading after work.
to occupy or devote (time, energies, etc.): I employ my spare time in reading. I employ all my energies in writing.
employment; service: to be in someone's employ.
Origin of employ
1Other words from employ
- non·em·ploy·ing, adjective
- o·ver·em·ploy, verb (used with object)
- pre·em·ploy, verb (used with object)
- re·em·ploy, verb (used with object)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for employ
/ (ɪmˈplɔɪ) /
to engage or make use of the services of (a person) in return for money; hire
to provide work or occupation for; keep busy; occupy: collecting stamps employs a lot of his time
to use as a means: to employ secret measures to get one's ends
the state of being employed (esp in the phrase in someone's employ)
Origin of employ
1Derived forms of employ
- employable, adjective
- employability, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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