Definitions for: Employ


[n] the state of being employed or having a job; "they are looking for employment"; "he was in the employ of the city"
[v] put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't make use of 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"
[v] engage or hire for work; "They hired two new secretaries in the department"; "How many people has she employed?"



Webster (1913) Definition: Em*ploy", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Employed; p. pr. & vb.
n. Employing.] [F. employer, fr. L. implicare to fold into,
infold, involve, implicate, engage; in + plicare to fold. See
Ply, and cf. Imply, Implicate.]
1. To inclose; to infold. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

2. 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.

This is a day in which the thoughts . . . ought
to be employed on serious subjects. --Addison.
(b) To occupy; as, to employ time in study.
(c) 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.

Jonathan . . . and Jahaziah . . . were employed
about this matter. --Ezra x. 15.

Thy vineyard must employ the sturdy steer To
turn the glebe. --Dryden.

To employ one's self, to apply or devote one's time and
attention; to busy one's self.

Syn: To use; busy; apply; exercise; occupy; engross; engage.
See Use.


Em*ploy", n. [Cf. F. emploi.]
That which engages or occupies a person; fixed or regular
service or business; employment.

The whole employ of body and of mind. --Pope.

In one's employ, in one's service.

Synonyms: apply, employment, engage, hire, use, utilise, utilize

Antonyms: can, dismiss, fire, force out, give notice, give the axe, sack, send away, terminate, unemployment

See Also: address, assign, avail, cannibalise, cannibalize, commit, consecrate, contract, dedicate, devote, enjoy, exercise, exert, exploit, extend, fall back, farm out, featherbed, fee, fill, give, go for, hold, implement, job, misapply, misuse, overdrive, overuse, play, ply, pull out all the stops, put, put to work, rat, recur, recycle, reprocess, resort, retain, reuse, share, ship, sign, sign on, sign up, state, strain, subcontract, take, tap, waste, work

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