hire
HEYE-uh
Hire (verb) means to employ someone for pay, or to give someone a job. Example: “The startup hired three new engineers this month.”
verb
1
To employ someone for pay, or to give someone a job.
"The startup hired three new engineers this month."
"They hired a lawyer to handle the contract."
"Our cafe plans to hire two extra waiters for the summer."
2
To pay to use something temporarily, such as a car or a venue (mainly British usage).
"We hired a van to move the furniture."
"You can hire bikes by the hour near the lake."
"They hired a hall for the wedding reception."
noun
1
A person who has recently been employed, especially as part of a group of new employees.
"She was the company's best hire last year."
"The new hire starts on Monday and will sit next to me."
"Each new hire gets a short tour of the office."
2
Payment made for the temporary use of something.
"The hire of the equipment cost fifty pounds a day."
"Car hire is usually cheaper if you book several weeks ahead."
"Is the hire charge for the ladder paid per day?"
How to use hire
Learner’s notes
UK vs US
British English uses "hire" for renting things (hire a car); American English usually says "rent" instead, reserving "hire" mainly for employing people.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
hire an employee
hire a car
new hire
for hire
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Word forms
- Plural
- hires
- Third person singular
- hires
- Past tense
- hired
Fill the gap
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The startup _____ three new engineers this month.
Etymology
From Old English hȳr, meaning wages or payment for a service, going back to a Proto-Germanic root for "payment."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for hire
See all rhymes for hire →Frequently asked questions
What does “hire” mean?
The word “hire” means to employ someone for pay, or to give someone a job.
How do you pronounce “hire”?
“Hire” is pronounced HEYE-uh (/haɪɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “hire” in a sentence?
Here is “hire” used in a sentence: “The startup hired three new engineers this month.”
What is the opposite of “hire”?
The opposite of “hire” — its antonyms — is fire.
What part of speech is “hire”?
Depending on how it is used, “hire” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “hire” come from?
The word “hire” comes from Old English. From Old English hȳr, meaning wages or payment for a service, going back to a Proto-Germanic root for "payment.".
Is “hire” a common word?
“Hire” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “hire” have?
“Hire” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to employ someone for pay, or to give someone a job.
What is the difference between hire and fire?
They are opposites in employment. To hire someone is to take them on and give them a paid job; to fire someone is to dismiss them and end their employment. A manager who hires builds the team, while firing removes a worker, usually for poor performance or redundancy.
What is the difference between hire and rent?
When talking about people, hire means to employ someone for pay. In British English, hire can also mean paying to use equipment or a vehicle for a short time, much like rent. Rent, though, is more often used for property such as a house or flat over a longer period.
What does it mean to hire someone?
To hire someone is to give them a job in exchange for wages or a salary. It covers the whole act of choosing a candidate, agreeing terms, and bringing them onto the payroll. Employers hire staff to fill roles, whether permanent, temporary, full-time, or part-time.
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