I. ˈpōst noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Latin postis; probably akin to Latin por- forward and to Latin stare to stand — more at portend , stand
Date: before 12th century
1. : a piece (as of timber or metal) fixed firmly in an upright position especially as a stay or support : pillar , column
2. : a pole or stake set up to mark or indicate something ; especially : a pole that marks the starting or finishing point of a horse race
3. : a metallic fitting attached to an electrical device (as a storage battery) for convenience in making connections
4.
a. : goalpost
b. : a football passing play in which the receiver runs downfield before turning towards the middle of the field
5. : the metal stem of a pierced earring
II. transitive verb
Date: 1633
1.
a. : to publish, announce, or advertise by or as if by use of a placard
b. : to denounce by public notice
c. : to enter on a public listing
d. : to forbid (property) to trespassers under penalty of legal prosecution by notices placed along the boundaries
e. : score
post ed a 70 in the final round
2. : to affix to a usual place (as a wall) for public notices : placard
3. : to publish (as a message) in an online forum (as an electronic bulletin board)
III. noun
Etymology: Middle French poste relay station, courier, from Old Italian posta relay station, from feminine of posto, past participle of porre to place, from Latin ponere — more at position
Date: 1507
1. obsolete : courier
2. archaic
a. : one of a series of stations for keeping horses for relays
b. : the distance between any two such consecutive stations : stage
3. chiefly British
a. : a nation's organization for handling mail ; also : the mail handled
b.
(1) : a single dispatch of mail
(2) : letter 2a
c. : post office
d. : postbox
4. : something (as a message) that is published online
IV. verb
Date: 1533
intransitive verb
1. : to travel with post-horses
2. : to ride or travel with haste : hurry
3. : to rise from the saddle and return to it in rhythm with a horse's trot
transitive verb
1. archaic : to dispatch in haste
2. : mail
post a letter
3.
a. : to transfer or carry from a book of original entry to a ledger
b. : to make transfer entries in
4. : to make familiar with a subject : inform
kept her post ed on the latest gossip
V. adverb
Date: 1549
: with post-horses : express
VI. noun
Etymology: Middle French poste, from Old Italian posto, from past participle of porre to place
Date: 1598
1.
a. : the place at which a soldier is stationed ; especially : a sentry's beat or station
b. : a station or task to which one is assigned
c. : the place at which a body of troops is stationed : camp
d. : a local subdivision of a veterans' organization
e. : one of two bugle calls sounded (as in the British army) at tattoo
2.
a. : an office or position to which a person is appointed
b. : an area on a basketball court that is located just outside the free throw lane usually near the basket ; also : the offensive position of a player occupying the post
3.
a. : trading post , settlement
b. : a trading station on the floor of a stock exchange
VII. transitive verb
Date: 1683
1.
a. : to station in a given place
guards were post ed at the doors
b. : to carry ceremoniously to a position
post ing the colors
2. chiefly British : to assign to a unit, position, or location (as in the military or civil service)
3. : to put up (as bond)