English Explanatory Dictionary

hire

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A person who has been hired, especially in a cohort.
  2. The state of being hired, or having a job; employment.
  3. Payment for the temporary use of something.
  4. Reward.
verb
  1. To obtain the services of in return for fixed payment.
  2. To occupy premises in exchange for rent.
  3. To employ; to obtain the services of (a person) in exchange for remuneration; to give someone a job.
  4. To exchange the services of for remuneration.
  5. To accomplish by paying for services.
  6. To accept employment.
  7. (neologism) (in the Jobs-to-be-Done Theory) To buy something in order for it to perform a function, to do a job
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

hīr hīʹər /ˈhaɪ(.)ə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-hire.wav /haɪɹ/ /ˈhaɪ.ɚ/ en-us-hire.ogg /həjɜ(r)/

Word forms

hire hires hiring hired

Etymology

From Middle English hire, hyre, here, hure, from Old English hȳr (“employment for wages; pay for service; interest on money lent”), from Proto-West Germanic *hūʀiju (“payment”), from the verb *hūʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *hūzijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *kewHs- or *kweHs-. Compare Hittite 𒆪𒊭𒀭 (kuššan-, “fee, pay, wages, price”). Cognate with West Frisian hier (“hire”), Dutch huur (“lease, rental”), German Low German Hüür (“lease, rental”).

Synonyms

employ rent

Antonyms

fire

Related words

rent

Derived words

car hire DEI hire diversity hire dry hire hire car hireling hireman hire out hire purchase hire system hireworthy murder-for-hire on hire spot hire the laborer is worthy of his hire the labourer is worthy of his hire acquihire dehire gun-for-hire hirable hired gun hired hand hiree hireless hirer mishire outhire overhire prehire rehire unhire unhired
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