1. (v. t.) To enclose; to enfold.

2. (v. t.) To use; to have in service; to cause to be engaged in doing something; -- often followed by in, about, on, or upon, and sometimes by to; as: (a) To make use of, as an instrument, a means, a material, etc., for a specific purpose; to apply; as, to employ the pen in writing, bricks in building, words and phrases in speaking; to employ the mind; to employ one's energies.

3. (v. t.) To occupy; as, to employ time in study.

4. (v. t.) To have or keep at work; to give employment or occupation to; to entrust with some duty or behest; as, to employ a hundred workmen; to employ an envoy.

5. (n.) That which engages or occupies a person; fixed or regular service or business; employment.

active use activities activity add affair affairs appliance application apply attend to business attendance avail bag bespeak bestow book brief business busy carry on commerce commission concern concernment conduct consecrate to consume consumption contract for dedicate to devote do do with employment engage engage in engross enlist enterprise exercise exert exertion expend exploit follow function give over to give to go in for good use handle hard usage hard use hire ill use interest involve labor lookout make use of manage manipulate matter mind the store ministration ministry misuse monopolize obtain occupation occupy operate pass pass the time peonage play ply practice preengage procure prosecute pursue put forth put in put on put out recruit reserve retain rough usage secure serfdom service servitium servitorship servitude sign sign on sign up sign up for slavery specialize in spend spend the time tackle take into employment take on take to take up tendance thing undertake undertaking usage use use up using up utilize wage while while away wield wile work work at wrong use