preemploy

English

Etymology

From pre- +‎ employ.

Verb

preemploy (third-person singular simple present preemploys, present participle preemploying, simple past and past participle preemployed)

1. (transitive) To employ beforehand.
   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:

     That false villain
     Whom I employed was preemployed by him.