employ

Examples

• All

• After much consideration, he accepted a position in the employ of a prestigious law firm.

• Jasmine is no longer in our employ.

  Crackers (1984)

• Would you mind explaining what happened to end his employ with you?

  Stuck on You! (1982)

• I wish he had stayed in my employ longer," he said, his voice like dust.

  Fiction book (1995)

• My grandfather worked for your grandfather; my father was in the employ of your father.

  Fiction book (1998)

• He will have to remain in your employ for the full 11 weeks.

  The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)

• For example, although Agustin has been in their employ for many years, they know little about his family.

  Academic text (1990)

• I don't know how long you expect to remain in my employ...

  A View to a Kill (1985)

• I was in the employ of the von Wolfhausen family long before I came to this stinkhole.

  Beerfest (2006)

• The company has had a strong record of providing job security for all employees in its employ.

Synonyms

E

employment

vsemploy

403 2.1

Having a paid job

is a more formal or literary term for that state

Antonyms

U

unemployment

673 2.3

A time when people do not have paid jobs and look for work

J

joblessness

9 3.4

A situation when people do not have paid work

Idioms

E

to employ a steam engine to crack a nut

• Informal

9.5

To use much more effort or help than needed to do a small task

Surface Forms

Etymology