employ
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Verb (2)employs, employed, employing
- put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose“use your head!”“we only use Spanish at home”“I can't use this tool”“Apply a magnetic field here”“This thinking was applied to many projects”“How do you utilize this tool?”“I apply this rule to get good results”“use the plastic bags to store the food”“He doesn't know how to use a computer”Synonyms: useutilizeutiliseapplyMore general act, moveMore specific give, take, exert, share, enjoy, exploit, waste, put, fall back, strain +12 moreCauses apply, holdSimilar practice, apply
- engage or hire for work“They hired two new secretaries in the department”“How many people has she employed?”Synonyms: hireengageOpposite canMore general act, moveMore specific sign, subcontract, engage, fill, featherbed, rat, ship
Noun (1)employs
- the state of being employed or having a job“they are looking for employment”“he was in the employ of the city”Synonyms: employmentOpposite unemploymentType of state
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Verb to give someone work
- Spanish
- emplear
- French
- embaucher
- German
- anstellen
- Italian
- impiegare
- Portuguese
- empregar
- Russian
- нанима́ть nanimátʹ
- Arabic
- وَظَّفَ waẓẓafa
- Japanese
- 雇う yatou
- Dutch
- tewerkstellen
- Polish
- zatrudniać
Verb to put into use
- Spanish
- emplear
- French
- utiliser
- German
- einsetzen
- Italian
- impiegare
- Portuguese
- empregar
- Russian
- испо́льзовать ispólʹzovatʹ
- Chinese
- 使用 shǐyòng
- Japanese
- 使う tsukau
- Swedish
- använda
- Greek
- χρησιμοποιώ chrisimopoió
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: F. employer, fr. L. implicare to fold into, infold, involve, implicate, engage; in + plicare to fold. See Ply, and cf. Imply, Implicate.
1. To inclose; to infold. obsolete Geoffrey Chaucer
2. To use; to have in service; to cause to be engaged in doing something; — often followed by in, about, on, or upon, and sometimes by to; as: (a) To make use of, as an instrument, a means, a material, etc., for a specific purpose; to apply; as, to employ the pen in writing, bricks in building, words and phrases in speaking; to employ the mind; to employ one's energies.
This is a day in which the thoughts... ought to be employed on serious subjects.— Joseph Addison
(b) To occupy; as, to employ time in study. (c) To have or keep at work; to give employment or occupation to; to intrust with some duty or behest; as, to employ a hundred workmen; to employ an envoy.
Jonathan... and Jahaziah... were employed about this matter.— Ezra x. 15.
Thy vineyard must employ the sturdy steer To turn the glebe.— John Dryden
To employ one's self, to apply or devote one's time and attention; to busy one's self.
Synonyms: To use; busy; apply; exercise; occupy; engross; engage. See Use.
Origin: Cf. F. emploi.
That which engages or occupies a person; fixed or regular service or business; employment.
The whole employ of body and of mind.— Alexander Pope
In one's employ, in one's service.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54