Emily Dickinson Lexicon
Definition for EM-PLOY'
EM-PLOY', v.t. [Fr. employer; Arm. impligea or impligein; Sp. emplear; Port. empregar; It. impiegare; em or en and ployer, plier; W. plygu; L. plico; Gr. πλεκω; D. pleegen. See Apply, Display, Deploy.]
- To occupy the time, attention and labor of; to keep busy, or at work; to use. We employ our hands in labor; we employ our heads or faculties in study or thought; the attention is employed, when the mind is fixed or occupied upon an object; we employ time, when we devote it to an object. A portion of time should be daily employed in reading the Scriptures, meditation and prayer; a great portion of life is employed to little profit or to very bad purposes.
- To use as an instrument or means. We employ pens in writing, and arithmetic in keeping accounts. We employ medicines in curing diseases.
- To use as materials in forming any thing. We employ timber, stones or bricks, in building; we employ wool, linen and cotton, in making cloth.
- To engage in one's service; to use as an agent or substitute in transacting business; to commission and intrust with the management of one's affairs. The president employed an envoy to negotiate a treaty. Kings and States employ embassadors at foreign courts.
- To occupy; to use; to apply or devote to an object; to pass in business; as, to employ time; to employ an hour, a day or a week; to employ one's life. To employ one's self, is to apply or devote one's time and attention; to busy one's self.
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