Hire

/ˈhaɪər/

verbBeginnerVery CommonLegal

Definitions

3 meanings
1

To employ someone for wages; to contract for services.

/ˈhaɪər/

verbneutralBeginner
Legal

To engage or employ someone for wages or a salary.

The restaurant is looking to hire experienced chefs.

💡 Simply: Imagine you need someone to help you with a project or job. Hiring is like saying, "I'll pay you to work for me." Like when your parents hire a babysitter!

👶 For kids: To pay someone to do a job for you.

More Examples

2

We're going to hire a contractor to renovate our kitchen.

3

They decided to hire a consultant to improve their marketing strategy.

4

I need to hire a dog walker while I'm on vacation.

How It's Used

Business

"The company plans to hire more employees next quarter."

Personal

"She hired a cleaning service to help with her house."

2

To obtain the temporary use of something for payment.

/ˈhaɪər/

verbneutralBeginner
General

We'll hire a bus to transport the guests to the venue.

💡 Simply: Sometimes you want to use something without owning it. Hiring is when you pay to use a car, a bike, or a room for a short time, like renting!

👶 For kids: To pay to use something for a little while, like a toy or a car.

More Examples

2

They hired a limousine for their anniversary celebration.

3

You can hire a bike to explore the city.

4

The couple decided to hire a photographer for their wedding day.

How It's Used

Transportation

"I need to hire a car for my trip."

Events

"They hired a hall for the wedding reception."

Tip:Think of hiring a car: you PAY to USE it, not own it.
3

The act of employing or the fee paid for the use of something.

/ˈhaɪər/

nounneutralmedium
General

The act of hiring or the fee paid for hiring something.

The hire of the venue included catering and decorations.

💡 Simply: When you hire a car, the 'hire' is what you pay to use it for a short period or the act of hiring someone. Think of it as 'the price of borrowing'.

👶 For kids: When you pay to use something for a little while, it's called a hire.

More Examples

2

The hiring process took several months.

3

The agency specializes in both the sale and the hire of construction equipment.

4

The budget for the hire of temporary staff had to be increased.

How It's Used

Finance

"The hire of the equipment was expensive."

Business

"The company is going on a hiring freeze."

Tip:Remember 'hire' as the action or the result of hiring, or the money paid.

Idioms & expressions

hire someone's services

To employ someone to perform a specific task.

"We hired her services to design our website."

on hire

Available for rental.

"The equipment is available on hire."

From Middle English *hīren*, from Old English *hȳran* ('to hire, engage, receive, obey'), from Proto-Germanic *hūzijaną* ('to hire'), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewH- ('to bend, to be bent').

The word 'hire' has been used since Old English times to describe the act of employing or renting.

Memory tip

Think of hiring someone to HELP you achieve something.

hiehirerhyre

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written