hired hand

noun

1. a hired laborer, especially on a farm or ranch; farm hand or ranch hand.
2. an employee.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hired hand¹

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20

Idioms and Phrases

Also, hired man or girl . A person engaged to assist with farm or domestic chores, as in We need extra hired hands during the harvest , or She was looking for a hired girl to do the laundry . This use of hired dates from the 1200s and referred to someone employed for wages as opposed to a slave or serf. The use of girl now may be offensive.

Example Sentences

Mina also wrote a tongue-in-cheek subplot involving the inner workings of an artistic estate — her way of nodding at the ambitious one of which she became a hired hand.

From Los Angeles Times

As liner notes began listing personnel, their skills cultivated fan bases and they came to be seen less as reliable hired hands than specialized, sought-after artists.

From Los Angeles Times

Sandi defends himself against the hired hands sent to kill him, such as Ramon — a psychotic barber armed with stainless steel shears — with only a bolas as his weapon.

From New York Times

Today, many farmers still oppose DST because it is generally disruptive, such as in dairying, and prefer they and their hired hands work more in the cooler morning hours than the hotter late-day hours.

From Washington Post

"Florida requires that your hired hand that you bring to your house to cut your lawn has more insurance than any physician that's going to operate on you," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• casual laborer
• day laborer
• farmhand
• hand
• help
• hired help