hired hand: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Literary, Historical
Quick answer
What does “hired hand” mean?
A person who is employed to perform physical labour, often on a temporary or seasonal basis, especially on a farm.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who is employed to perform physical labour, often on a temporary or seasonal basis, especially on a farm.
Any worker who is employed for a specific, often manual, task, implying a lack of long-term commitment or a purely transactional employment relationship. Can be used metaphorically to suggest someone treated as a tool rather than a valued team member.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly used in American English, particularly associated with the historical and literary context of the American West and farming. In British English, terms like 'farm labourer' or 'casual labourer' might be more frequent in everyday speech.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes manual, often agricultural work. The American usage has a stronger association with the frontier, ranches, and a specific cultural history.
Frequency
Low frequency in contemporary speech in both regions. Higher historical/literary frequency in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “hired hand” in a Sentence
The [employer] hired a hand for [task/time].[Person] worked as a hired hand on [place].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially used pejoratively to describe temporary consultants or contractors brought in for a specific project without long-term integration.
Academic
Used in historical, sociological, or literary studies discussing labour relations, agricultural history, or the American frontier.
Everyday
Very low frequency. Might be used when telling a historical story or describing old-fashioned work.
Technical
Not a technical term. Possible in specific historical or agricultural texts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hired hand”
- Using it to refer to any employee (e.g., 'Our software engineer is a hired hand' sounds odd and demeaning). Confusing it with 'handyman'. Using it without the historical/rustic connotation in modern contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral but old-fashioned. In a modern context, using it to describe someone could sound demeaning, as it reduces the person to a temporary tool for labour.
No. It is strongly associated with manual labour, particularly in agriculture, farming, or ranching. Using it for white-collar or skilled professional work is incorrect and sounds strange.
A 'hired hand' is a general labourer, often on a farm. A 'handyman' is a person skilled at various small repair jobs around a house or building.
It is very rare in contemporary everyday speech. You will encounter it primarily in historical accounts, literature, or when deliberately invoking an old-fashioned or rustic tone.
A person who is employed to perform physical labour, often on a temporary or seasonal basis, especially on a farm.
Hired hand is usually formal, literary, historical in register.
Hired hand: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪəd ˈhænd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪərd ˈhænd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Metaphorical] He's just a hired hand with no stake in the company's future.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a HAND being HIRED for money to do hard work, and then let go when the job is done. The hand is a tool, not a person.
Conceptual Metaphor
LABOURER IS A TOOL (a 'hand' is a part of a person representing their labour capacity, which can be rented).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'hired hand' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?