Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Employ"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Employ \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.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Employ \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}.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

employ
n : the state of being employed or having a job; "they are
looking for employment"; "he was in the employ of the
city" [syn: {employment}] [ant: {unemployment}]
v 1: 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"
[syn: {use}, {utilize}, {utilise}, {apply}]
2: engage or hire for work; "They hired two new secretaries in
the department"; "How many people has she employed?" [syn:
{hire}, {engage}] [ant: {fire}]


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