- The definition of employ is the state of having a job.
An example of employ is working in a school.
- Employ is defined as to give someone work for pay, or to put someone or something to use.
- An example of employ is for a couple to hire a babysitter to watch their children.
- An example of employ is to put writing skills to use to write a book.
This young woman is employed to care for this child.
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transitive verb
- to make use of; use
- to keep busy or occupied; take up the attention, time, etc. of; devote: to employ oneself in study
- to provide work and pay for: mining employs fewer men now
- to engage the services or labor of for pay; hire
Origin: Middle English emploien ; from Old French emploier ; from Classical Latin implicare, to enfold, engage: see imply
noun
- the state of being employed, esp. for pay; paid service; employment
- Archaic work or occupation
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
transitive verb em·ployed, em·ploy·ing, em·ploys
- a. To engage the services of; put to work: agreed to employ the job applicant.b. To provide with gainful work: factories that employ thousands.
- To put to use or service. See Synonyms at use.
- To devote (time, for example) to an activity or purpose: employed several months in learning Swahili.
- The state of being employed: in the employ of the city.
- Archaic Occupation.
Origin: Middle English emploien, from Old French emploier, from Latin implicāre, to involve : in-, in; see en-1 + plicāre, to fold; see plek- in Indo-European roots.
Related Forms:
- em·ployˌa·bilˈi·ty noun
- em·ployˈa·ble adjective
- em·ployˈer noun