employ

[em-ploi]

verb (used with object)

1. to hire or engage the services of (a person or persons); provide employment for; have or keep in one's service.

   This factory employs thousands of people.

2. to make use of (an instrument, means, etc.); use; apply.

   We employ objective and scientific methods to analyze all management areas.

3. to keep busy or at work; engage the attentions of.

   He employs himself by reading after work.

4. to occupy or devote (time, energies, etc.).

   I employ my spare time in reading. I employ all my energies in writing.

noun

1. employment; service.

   to be in someone's employ.

employ

/ ɪmˈplɔɪ /

verb

1. to engage or make use of the services of (a person) in return for money; hire

2. to provide work or occupation for; keep busy; occupy

   collecting stamps employs a lot of his time

3. to use as a means

   to employ secret measures to get one's ends

noun

1. the state of being employed (esp in the phrase in someone's employ )

Other Word Forms

• nonemploying adjective
• overemploy verb (used with object)
• preemploy verb (used with object)
• reemploy verb (used with object)
• employable adjective
• employability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of employ¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English employen, from Anglo-French, Middle French emploier, ultimately derived from Latin implicāre “to enfold” ( Late Latin: “to engage”); implicate

Word History and Origins

Origin of employ¹

C15: from Old French emploier, from Latin implicāre to entangle, engage, from plicāre to fold

Example Sentences

America simply doesn’t need to employ as many people in manufacturing because it’s so much more productive.

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Robinson and Kanin are smart to ensure the two sides aren’t starkly misaligned, and the star employs a variety of shades in his performance.

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"I know it's immoral and illegal to employ a child, but at least he has a roof and is well fed here," he said.

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Mike Muhammad, employed at a Latin-themed supermarket, put a similar estimate on the downturn.

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The influx of second-hand clothes has employed hundreds of thousands of people across East Africa, from port handlers to traders, and provided a lot of affordable clothing.

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Related Words

• apply 
• engage 
• exploit 
• handle 
• occupy 
• operate 
• spend 
• use 
• utilize 

When To Use

What does employ mean?

To employ someone is to pay them to work. An employer employs employees.The state of being employed is employment.A more specific use of employ is as a noun meaning employment or service. This sense of the word is almost always used in phrases like in their employ. Employ also means to use, as in This task will require you to employ a different skill set.Less commonly, employ can mean to keep one busy or occupy one, as in During flights I usually employ myself with some knitting. Example: My company employs more than 500 people.