employ

Employ is defined as to give someone work for pay, or to put someone or something to use.

(verb)

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.

The definition of employ is the state of having a job.

(noun)

An example of employ is working in a school.

See employ in Webster's New World College Dictionary

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: ME emploien < OFr emploier < L implicare, to enfold, engage: see imply

noun

See employ in American Heritage Dictionary 4

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.

noun