1.  To procure (any chattel or estate) from another person, for temporary use, for a compensation or equivalent; to purchase the use or enjoyment of for a limited time; as, to hire a farm for a year; to hire money. [1913 Webster]

2.  To engage or purchase the service, labor, or interest of (any one) for a specific purpose, by payment of wages; as, to hire a servant, an agent, or an advocate. [1913 Webster]

3.  To grant the temporary use of, for compensation; to engage to give the service of, for a price; to let; to lease; -- now usually with out, and often reflexively; as, he has hired out his horse, or his time. [1913 Webster]
"They . . . have hired out themselves for bread." [1913 Webster]

hire, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 (often foll. by from) procure the temporary use of (a thing) for an agreed payment (hired a van from them).
2 esp. US employ (a person) for wages or a fee.
3 US borrow (money).
--n.
1 hiring or being hired.
2 payment for this.

Idiom:
for (or on) hire ready to be hired. hire-car a car available for hire. hired girl (or man) US a domestic servant, esp. on a farm. hire out grant the temporary use of (a thing) for an agreed payment. hire purchase Brit. a system by which a person may purchase a thing by regular payments while having the use of it.

Derivative:
hireable adj. (US hirable). hirer n.

Etymology:
OE hyrian, hyr f. WG

VB  commission, delegate, depute, consign, assign, charge, intrust, entrust, commit, commit to the hands of, authorize, put in commission, accredit, engage, hire, bespeak, appoint, name, nominate, return, ordain, install, induct, inaugurate, swear in, invest, crown, enroll, enlist, give power of attorney to, employ, empower, set over, place over, send out, be commissioned, be accredited, represent, stand for, stand in the stead of, stand in the place of, stand in the shoes of.

VB  borrow, desume, hire, rent, farm, take a lease, take a demise, take by the hour, take by the mile, take by the year, hire by the hour, hire by the mile, hire by the year, adopt, apply, appropriate, imitate, make use of, take, raise money, take up money, raise the wind, fly a kite, borrow from Peter to pay Paul, run into debt, replevy.

N  price, amount, cost, expense, prime cost, charge, figure, demand, damage, fare, hire, wages, value, dues, duty, toll, tax, impost, cess, sess, tallage, levy, abkari, capitation tax, poll tax, doomage, likin, gabel, gabelle, gavel, octroi, custom, excise, assessment, benevolence, tithe, tenths, exactment, ransom, salvage, tariff, brokerage, wharfage, freightage, bill, shot, priced, to the tune of, ad valorem, dutiable, mercenary, venal, no penny no paternoster, point d'argent point de Suisse, no longer pipe no longer dance, no song no supper, if you dance you have to pay the piper, you get what you pay for, there's no such thing as a free lunch, one may have it for, a bon marche.

N  reward, recompense, remuneration, meed, guerdon, reguerdon, price, indemnity, indemnification, quittance, compensation, reparation, redress, satisfaction, reckoning, acknowledgment, requital, amends, sop, atonement, retribution, consideration, return, quid pro quo, salvage, perquisite, vail, douceur, bribe, hush money, smart money, blackmail, extortion, carcelage, solatium, allowance, salary, stipend, wages, compensation, pay, payment, emolument, tribute, batta, shot, scot, bonus, premium, tip, fee, honorarium, hire, dasturi, dustoori, mileage, crown, remunerative, remuneratory, munerary, compensatory, retributive, reparatory, rewarding, satisfactory, fideli certa merces, honor virtutis praemium, tibi seris tibi metis.

gun for hire, hire and purchase agreement, hire car, hire out, hire purchase, hire purchase agreement