I. hire 1 S2 W3 /haɪə $ haɪr/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . British English to pay money to borrow something for a short period of time SYN rent American English :
The best way to explore the island is to hire a car.
What does it cost to hire a boat for a week?
2 .
a) to employ someone for a short time to do a particular job:
Employers hire skilled people on fixed-term contracts.
hire somebody to do something
A City lawyer has been hired to handle the case.
b) American English to employ someone:
Businesses may only hire foreign workers where an American cannot be found.
the power to hire and fire (=employ and dismiss people)
hire something ↔ out phrasal verb British English
1 . to allow someone to borrow something for a short time in exchange for money
hire something ↔ out to
a little company that hires out boats to tourists
2 . hire yourself out to arrange to work for someone:
They were so poor they had to hire themselves out on the farms.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to pay money to use something
▪ rent to pay money to use a house, room, vehicle, piece of equipment, area of land etc:
He rented a room in a house on the Old Kent Road.
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They flew out to New York and rented a car at the airport.
▪ hire British English to pay money to use a car or a piece of clothing or equipment for a short period of time:
Why don't we hire a van for the day?
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You can hire suits for weddings.
▪ lease to have a legal agreement under which you pay money to a person or company in order to use a building, area of land, vehicle, piece of equipment etc for a fixed period of time :
They leased the offices from an American company.
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The car is leased from BMW.
II. hire 2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: hyr ]
British English an arrangement in which you pay a sum of money to borrow something for a short time:
a car hire company
for hire
boats for hire
on hire
The crane is on hire from a local firm.
⇨ ply for hire at ↑ ply 1 (3)