employed
employed — verb
1. to give someone a paid job, usually for an organization or company that pays the
to give someone a paid job, usually for an organization or company that pays them regularly for their work.
Over two hundred engineers were employed by the software firm at its new research centre.
passive: be employed by [company]
The city council employed a team of gardeners to look after all the public parks.
employ someone to do something
That family-run hotel chain employs mostly local students during the summer tourist season.
When the new wing opened, the hospital employed three additional physiotherapists straight away.
The university employs nearly fifty administrative staff across its three separate campuses.
文法句型
be employed by [company]
employ someone as [position]
employ someone to do something
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive: 'was employed by [company]'. Subject is typically an organization or institution, not a single person acting informally.
常見錯誤
2. to use a particular tool, method, technique, or skill in order to achieve a resu
to use a particular tool, method, technique, or skill in order to achieve a result.
A clever questioning technique was employed by the journalist to get the politician to speak openly.
passive: [technique] was employed to [purpose]
The police detective employed a clever set of questions to get the suspect to reveal where the stolen money was hidden.
employ + noun (method/technique) to do something
The factory employed a new filtration method to reduce pollution during production.
To attract younger buyers, the company employed targeted advertisements on social media.
The chief architect employed a clever ventilation design to keep the building naturally cool during the summer.
文法句型
employ + noun (method/technique/tool)
employ something to do something
用法筆記
Object is usually an abstract thing — a method, strategy, skill, or technique. Using 'employ' for a simple physical tool (e.g. 'employ a spoon') sounds overly formal; 'use' is preferred in everyday English.
常見錯誤
3. to spend a period of time doing something, especially in a useful or purposeful
to spend a period of time doing something, especially in a useful or purposeful way.
The teenager employed his summer break learning to code and build simple websites.
employ + time period + doing something
The young couple employed every weekend renovating the old farmhouse they had bought.
The young graphic designer employed every quiet moment during her train ride to sketch ideas for the new book cover.
The retired teacher employed several afternoons each week reading to children at the local library.
文法句型
employ + time period + doing something
employ + time period + on something
employ + time period + in something
用法筆記
Quite formal — in everyday conversation, 'spend' is strongly preferred. Commonly followed by a time expression and a gerund ('employed the morning cleaning').
常見錯誤
employed — noun
1. the state a person is in when they work for an organization or person and receiv
the state a person is in when they work for an organization or person and receive wages or a salary for that work.
The latest government report tracked the employed across several industries over the past decade.
the employed (collective noun for people with jobs)
In Kaohsiung, the percentage of recent graduates who are employed rose to 91% last year after the city launched a new job training programme.
concrete context: specific city and programme
Under the new policy, tax benefits are offered to the employed and the self-employed alike.
The survey compared health outcomes between the employed and those without any paid work.
The city of Tainan now has more employed residents than at any point in the last decade, thanks to a growing semiconductor industry.
- employment
the standard noun form meaning the state of having a paid job
- work
general term for any paid activity; broader than 'employed'
- occupation
refers to a person's specific type of job or profession
- unemployment
the condition of being without a paid job
文法句型
the employed
rate of employed
number of employed
用法筆記
Used mostly in statistical, economic, or formal contexts as a collective nominal. Cannot be used as a count noun — you cannot say 'an employed' or 'two employeds'.