employ

/im-ˈplȯi/

Middle English emploien, emplien "to apply or devote (a thing to a purpose), apply (oneself) to a task, make use of, expend," borrowed from Anglo-French empleier, emploier, emplier "to entangle, fabricate, put to use, devote (oneself) to" (continental Middle French also "to make use of, apply, occupy [time], expend [money], use the services of [a person]"), going back to Latin implicāre "to fold about itself, entwine, entangle, involve, embroil"

verb

  1. to make use of (someone or something inactive)

  2. to use (something, such as time) advantageously

  3. to use or engage the services of

employ a pen for sketching

a job that employed her skills

use employ utilize mean to put into service especially to attain an end. use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end. employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged.

noun

  1. use, purpose

  2. occupation, job

  3. the state of being employed

idiom

  1. employed by someone for wages or a salary

The company has been generous to people in their employ.