English Dictionary
Definition of “employ”
employ (ɪmˈplɔɪ
)
Definitions
verb (tr)
- 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
noun
- the state of being employed (esp in the phrase in someone's employ)
Alternative Forms
emˈployable adjective emˌployaˈbility noun Word Origin
C15: from Old French emploier, from Latin implicāre to entangle, engage, from plicāre to fold
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
hire,
commission,
appoint,
take on,
retain,
engage,
recruit,
sign up,
enlist,
enrol,
have on the payroll
Translations
- British English:
employ
If a person or company employs you, they pay you to work for them.3,000 local workers are employed in the tourism industry.ɪmˈplɔɪ VERB 3,000 local workers are employed in the tourism industry.
- Spanish:
emplear
v
- French:
employer
vt
- German:
beschäftigen
v
- Chinese: 雇用 v
- Arabic: يُوَظِّفُ v
- Portuguese: empregar v
- Russian: нанимать v
- Croatian: uposliti v
- Czech: zaměstnat v zaměstnávat
- Danish: ansætte v
- Dutch: in dienst nemen v
- Finnish: palkata v
- Greek: προσλαμβάνω v
- Italian: impiegare v
- Japanese: 雇用する v
- Korean: 고용하다 v
- Norwegian: ansette v
- Polish: zatrudnić v zatrudniać
- Brazilian Portuguese: empregar v
- European Spanish:
emplear
v
- Swedish: anställa v
- Thai: ว่าจ้าง v
- Turkish: işe almak v
- Vietnamese: thuê người v
Usage examples
That he's going to employ him to do it up; let him live there.
Vanessa Jones, THE KINDEST USE A KNIFE (2002)Once in situ, these tanks will employ their fire-power to devastating effect.
Irish Times (2002)Anyone who has reached the top in politics has undoubtedly had to wheel and deal and to employ tactics which occasionally hurt other people.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Its continued investment in this area ensures that the people they employ are the very best in the business.
Corporate Research Foundation, TOP MARKETING AND MEDIA COMPANIES IN THE UK (2002)
