n. & v.
—n.
1 a long stout piece of timber or metal set upright in the ground etc.: a to support something, esp. in building. b to mark a position, boundary, etc. c to carry notices.
2 a pole etc. marking the start or finish of a race.
—v.tr.
1 (often foll. by up) a attach (a paper etc.) in a prominent place; stick up (post no bills). b announce or advertise by placard or in a published text.
2 publish the name of (a ship etc.) as overdue or missing.
3 placard (a wall etc.) with bills etc.
4 US achieve (a score in a game etc.).
Phrases and idioms:
post-mill a windmill pivoted on a post and turning to catch the wind.
Etymology: OE f. L postis: in ME also f. OF etc.
2.
n., v., & adv.
—n.
1 Brit. the official conveyance of parcels, letters, etc. (send it by post).
2 Brit. a single collection, dispatch, or delivery of these; the letters etc. dispatched (has the post arrived yet?).
3 Brit. a place where letters etc. are dealt with; a post office or postbox (take it to the post).
4 hist. a one of a series of couriers who carried mail on horseback between fixed stages. b a letter-carrier; a mail cart.
—v.
1 tr. put (a letter etc.) in the post.
2 tr. (esp. as posted adj.) (often foll. by up) supply a person with information (keep me posted).
3 tr. a enter (an item) in a ledger. b (often foll. by up) complete (a ledger) in this way. c carry (an entry) from an auxiliary book to a more formal one, or from one account to another.
4 intr. a travel with haste, hurry. b hist. travel with relays of horses.
—adv. express; with haste.
Phrases and idioms:
post-chaise hist. a travelling carriage hired from stage to stage or drawn by horses hired in this manner. post exchange US Mil. a shop at a military camp etc. post-free Brit. carried by post free of charge or with the postage prepaid. post-haste with great speed. post-horn a valveless horn formerly used to announce the arrival of the post. Post Office
1 the public department or corporation responsible for postal services and (in some countries) telecommunication.
2 (post office) a a room or building where postal business is carried on. b US = postman's knock. post-office box a numbered place in a post office where letters are kept until called for. post-paid on which postage has been paid. post room the department of a company that deals with incoming and outgoing mail. post-town a town with a post office, esp. one that is not a sub-office of another.
Etymology: F poste (fem.) f. It. posta ult. f. L ponere posit- place
3.
n. & v.
—n.
1 a place where a soldier is stationed or which he patrols.
2 a place of duty.
3 a a position taken up by a body of soldiers. b a force occupying this. c a fort.
4 a situation, paid employment.
5 = trading post.
6 Naut. hist. a commission as an officer in command of a vessel of 20 guns or more.
—v.tr.
1 place or station (soldiers, an employee, etc.).
2 appoint to a post or command.
Phrases and idioms:
first (or last) post Brit. a bugle-call giving notice of the hour of retiring at night. last post Brit. a bugle-call blown at military funerals etc.
Etymology: F poste (masc.) f. It. posto f. Rmc postum (unrecorded) f. L ponere posit- place
Useful english dictionary. 2012.