Hire Small House University Rent Renting Hiring English

In British English you hire a suit, meeting hall, bicycle, fishing rod etc. You obtain the use of these things, usually for a short period, by making s single payment: 'Why buy a wedding dress when you can hire one?' 'Herr Platzer showed us where we could hire bicycles.'

You rent a house, shop, apartment, television etc, usually for a longer period, by making a series of payments: 'There are plenty of offices to rent in the town centre.' When talking about cars, you can use rent or hire: 'There's usually a place at the airport where you can hire/rent a car.'

In American English you always rent something (not hire ), regardless of what it is or the length of the arrangement.