Definitions for employ
ɛmˈplɔɪem·ploy

Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. employment, employverb

   the state of being employed or having a job

   "they are looking for employment"; "he was in the employ of the city"

2. use, utilize, utilise, apply, employverb

   put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose

   "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer"

3. hire, engage, employverb

   engage or hire for work

   "They hired two new secretaries in the department"; "How many people has she employed?"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. employnoun

   The state of being an employee; employment.

   The school district has six thousand teachers in its employ.

2. employverb

   To give someone work or a job.

3. employverb

   To put something into use or service; to make use of.

   How do you employ your spare time?

Webster Dictionary(3.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Employverb

   to inclose; to infold

   Etymology: [Cf. F. emploi.]

2. Employverb

   to use; to have in service; to cause to be engaged in doing something; -- often followed by in, about, on, or upon, and sometimes by to; as: (a) To make use of, as an instrument, a means, a material, etc., for a specific purpose; to apply; as, to employ the pen in writing, bricks in building, words and phrases in speaking; to employ the mind; to employ one's energies

   Etymology: [Cf. F. emploi.]

3. Employverb

   to occupy; as, to employ time in study

   Etymology: [Cf. F. emploi.]

4. Employverb

   to have or keep at work; to give employment or occupation to; to intrust with some duty or behest; as, to employ a hundred workmen; to employ an envoy

   Etymology: [Cf. F. emploi.]

5. Employnoun

   that which engages or occupies a person; fixed or regular service or business; employment

   Etymology: [Cf. F. emploi.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Employ

   em-ploy′, v.t. to occupy the time or attention of: to use as a means or agent: to give work to.—n. a poetical form of employment.—adj. Employ′able, that may be employed.—ns. Employ′é, one who is employed:—fem. Employ′ée; Employēē′, a person employed; Employ′er; Employ′ment, act of employing: that which engages or occupies: occupation. [Fr. employer—L. implicāre, to infold—in, in, and plicāre, to fold. Imply and implicate are parallel forms.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. employ

   To give employment to.

   They did employ people from every nationality.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 24, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'employ' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3832

2. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'employ' in Verbs Frequency: #269

How to pronounce employ?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say employ in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of employ in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of employ in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of employ in a Sentence

1. Jared Bernstein:

   The idea here is not just to provide some sort of a near-term stimulus that keeps people busy for months or quarters, it's to fundamentally transform key sectors within our economy that disproportionately employ blue-collar and service workers... in a way that incentivizes not just more jobs, but higher-quality jobs.

2. Akhenaton:

   Those who gave thee a body, furnished it with weakness but He who gave thee Soul, armed thee with resolution. Employ it, and thou art wise be wise and thou art happy.

3. Christopher Chivvis:

   France can be one of the most aggressive countries in the world when it comes to striking terrorist groups overseas. president Hollande has considerable capability at his disposal, including advanced airpower, highly trained special forces, and land and naval assets. France needs support of NATO allies and especially the United States to employ these capabilities to their fullest, however.

4. Jordan Alice G. Wells:

   The United States is committed to standing with Jordan to face the threat posed by Daesh, as you employ these aircraft in the fight against Daesh, know that we will be standing right there next to you.

5. Chase LeBlanc:

   Less energy on emotions, more energy on solutions” is a useful perspective most employers would like all of their employees to employ.

Popularity rank by frequency of use