employ

American  

[em-ploi] / ɛmˈplɔɪ /

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.

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noun

1. employment; service.

   to be in someone's employ.

employ British  

/ 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

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noun

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

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of employ

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

Example Sentences

Berkshire employs no complex and incomprehensible compensation formulas for executives.

From Barron's

He said Better U is a technology platform that provides access to independent clinicians not employed by the company who make medical decisions based on their professional judgment.

From The Wall Street Journal

Upon entering chapter 11, FAT Brands employed eight of Wiederhorn’s family members, including his sons and wife, many in senior management roles.

From The Wall Street Journal

“With the Equal Justice League? I left a message to speak with you at your place of employ.”

From Literature

From Lombardy to Galicia, the same principles apply when it comes to employing an attractive approach, with Celta Vigo's progress revolving around putting their trust in youth.

From BBC

Related Words

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