Hire

Hire (verb): to employ someone or to obtain the use of something for payment; to engage in work under an employer. In everyday use, it covers onboarding staff, contracting services, or renting equipment. The pronunciation is a short, crisp syllable with a voiced initial and a long value on the vowel, followed by a clean, final /r/ in American and many other dialects. Context determines whether it means employment or renting.