hire

²hire

verb

hiredhir·ing

Definition of HIRE

transitive verb

1

a : to engage the personal services of for a set sum <hire a crew> b : to engage the temporary use of for a fixed sum <hire a hall>

2

: to grant the personal services of or temporary use of for a fixed sum <hire themselves out>

3

: to get done for pay <hire the mowing done>

intransitive verb

: to take employment <hire out as a guide during the tourist season>

— hir·er noun

Examples of HIRE

1. She had very little office experience, so the company wouldn't hire her.
2. We hired someone to clean the office once a week.
3. The company isn't hiring right now.

First Known Use of HIRE

before 12th century

Related to HIRE

Synonyms: charter, engage, lease, rent

Antonyms: ax (or axe), can, discharge, dismiss, fire, sack

Related Words: sublease, sublet; check out; arrange (for), bespeak, book, contract (for), order, reserve, sign up (for)

Near Antonyms: furlough, lay off, lock out

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of HIRE

hire, let, lease, rent, charter mean to engage or grant for use at a price. hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use <we hired a car for the summer> <decided to let the cottage to a young couple>. lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease <the diplomat leased an apartment for a year>. rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting <instead of buying a house, they decided to rent> <will not rent to families with children>. charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use <charter a bus to go to the game>.

Rhymes with HIRE

briar, choir, fire, gyre, ire, mire, prior, sire, spire, squire, tier, tire, wire