- 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.
employ
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 of employ
Middle English emploien ; from Old French emploier ; from Classical Latin implicare, to enfold, engage: see implynoun
- the state of being employed, esp. for pay; paid service; employment
- Archaic work or occupation
employ
transitive verb
em·ployed, em·ploy·ing, em·ploys- a. To provide work to (someone) for pay: agreed to employ the job applicant.b. To engage the attention or activity of; occupy: employed himself for an hour reading blogs.
- To put (something) to use or service: employed a pen to open the package; employed her skills in the new job.
- To devote (time, for example) to an activity or purpose: employed several months in learning Swahili.
noun
- The state of being employed: in the employ of the city.
- Archaic An occupation.
Origin of employ
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·ploy′a·bil′i·ty
noun
- em·ploy′a·ble
adjective
- em·ploy′er
noun
employ
Noun
(plural employs)
- The state of being an employee; employment.
- The school district has six thousand teachers in its employ.
Verb
(third-person singular simple present employs, present participle employing, simple past and past participle employed)
Origin
From Middle French employer, from Latin implicare (“to infold, involve, engage”), from in (“in”) + plicare (“to fold”). Compare imply and implicate, which are doublets of employ .
