employ English · revision 10815

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1425|origins=frm employer|origins=la implicare}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪmˈplɔɪ/, /emˈplɔɪ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|employer]], emploier, from Old French empleier,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Latin implicāre, to enfold, involve, be connected with,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) or its passive implicārī, to be involved in,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) from in-, in, and plicāre, to fold (see [[ply]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) [[implicate]] and [[imply]] are doublets.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To devote or apply something to a purpose: probably before 1425;^(Barnhart 1988) to make use of, 1429;^(Barnhart 1988) the early 15th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense to use the services of a person, to hire, is first recorded in 1584,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from the meaning “involve in a particular purpose”, which arose in Late Latin.^(Etymonline) The NODE notes that the word was also spelled imploy in the 16th and 17th centuries.^(NODE 1998) The noun, the act of employing, is from 1666, in Evelyn's Memoirs, from French emploi,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the state of being employed (''in the employ of'') from 1709.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Employer'' is from 1599, in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, and ''employee'' from 1850.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1425 – to devote to a purpose.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1584 – to hire a person.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1599 – employer.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1666 – employ (noun).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1709 – in the employ of.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1850 – employee.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To give [[work]] to someone for pay; to [[hire]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make use of: ''to employ new methods''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To occupy or spend time on an activity.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''in the employ of'': employed by.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[employability]]

+ * [[employable]]

+ * [[employer]]

+ * [[nonemploying]]

+ * [[overemploy]]

+ * [[preemploy]]

+ * [[employment]]

+ * [[reemploy]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[imply]]

+ * [[implicate]]

+ * [[apply]]

+ * [[employee]]

+ * [[ply]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}