to make; to cause; to enable; to use; to employ; to send; to instruct
The characters 史 (history), 吏 (government official), 使 (cause; use; instruct), and 事 (matter; work; affair) are all etymologically related and all derive from the same ancient character, depicting a hand (又) holding a container for writing utensils.
《說文》：“使，伶也。从人，吏聲。”