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

During The Simple Life era, Paris Hilton was the talk of the insta-celebrity world—and Kim was just her hired hand.

From The Daily Beast

He was a hired hand merely, and he and a son of the owner, without other assistance, made the trip.

From Project Gutenberg

Harkey's hired hand went home with Dade Walker who considered that walk the pleasant finish to a very interesting day's work.

From Project Gutenberg

Steve was Ridings' hired hand, a herculean fellow, with a drawl, and a liability for taking offence quite as remarkable.

From Project Gutenberg

To guide a team for a few minutes as an experiment was one thing—to plow all day like a hired hand was another.

From Project Gutenberg

I was not working as a visitor but as a hired hand, and doing my full day's work and more.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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