What does it mean for a slave to be hired out?

When a slave is "hired out," it means that their owner leases them to another person or entity for a specific period, allowing the slave to work for someone else while remaining the legal property of their owner. This arrangement often occurs in agricultural or industrial settings, where the slave's labor is in demand. The owner typically receives payment for the slave's work, while the slave has limited autonomy and is still subject to the control of both the owner and the hirer. Hired-out slaves may experience different working conditions, but their fundamental status as property remains unchanged.