Definitions for employ
ɛmˈplɔɪem·ploy

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

1. employment, employ(verb)

   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, employ(verb)

   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, employ(verb)

   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. employ(Noun)

   The state of being an employee; employment.

   The school district has six thousand teachers in its employ.

2. employ(Verb)

   To give someone work or a job.

3. employ(Verb)

   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. Employ(verb)

   to inclose; to infold

   Etymology: [Cf. F. emploi.]

2. Employ(verb)

   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. Employ(verb)

   to occupy; as, to employ time in study

   Etymology: [Cf. F. emploi.]

4. Employ(verb)

   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. Employ(noun)

   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

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

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. Sonny Perdue:

   This extension of summer program authority will employ summer program sponsors to ensure meals are reaching all children -- whether they are learning in the classroom or virtually -- so they are fed and ready to learn, even in new and ever-changing learning environments.

2. Chris Agiriga:

   I called my director. He saw what happened on TV. He said he couldn't employ me because it brings shame.

3. La Bruy?re:

   The greater part of mankind employ their first years to make their last miserable.

4. State James Baker:

   They've got this huge workforce that they can't employ... and of course they're running some substantial budget deficits now.

5. Anuj Somany:

   If a woman is projected publicly as successful with awards and rewards, it is time to employ open mind full to see the men behind her.

Images & Illustrations of employ

Popularity rank by frequency of use