I. ˈhī(-ə)r noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hȳr; akin to Old Saxon hūria hire
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : payment for the temporary use of something
b. : payment for labor or personal services : wages
2.
a. : the act or an instance of hiring
b. : the state of being hired : employment
3. British : rental — often used attributively
4. : one who is hired
starting wage for the new hire s
•
- for hire
II. verb
( hired ; hir·ing )
Date: before 12th century
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
Synonyms:
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