post 1
— postless , adv. — postlike , adj.
/pohst/ , n.
1. a strong piece of timber, metal, or the like, set upright as a support, a point of attachment, a place for displaying notices, etc.
2. Furniture. one of the principal uprights of a piece of furniture, as one supporting a chair back or forming one corner of a chest of drawers. Cf. stump (def. 11).
3. Papermaking. a stack of 144 sheets of handmolded paper, interleaved with felt.
4. Horse Racing. a pole on a racetrack indicating the point where a race begins or ends: the starting post.
5. the lane of a racetrack farthest from the infield; the outside lane. Cf. pole 1 (def. 4).
6. Computers. a message that is sent to a newsgroup.
v.t.
7. to affix (a notice, bulletin, etc.) to a post, wall, or the like.
8. to bring to public notice by or as by a poster or bill: to post a reward.
9. to denounce by a public notice or declaration: They were posted as spies.
10. to publish the name of in a list: to post a student on the dean's list.
11. to publish the name of (a ship) as missing or lost.
12. to placard (a wall, fence, etc.) with notices, bulletins, etc.: The wall was posted with announcements.
13. to put up signs on (land or other property) forbidding trespassing:: The estate has been posted by the owner.
14. Computers. to send (a message) to a newsgroup.
v.i.
15. Computers. to place (text) on a Web site.
[ bef. 1000; ME, OE postis a post, doorpost, whence also D, LG post, G Pfosten ]
Syn. 1. column, pillar, pile, pole. 6. announce, advertise, publicize.
post 2
/pohst/ , n.
1. a position of duty, employment, or trust to which one is assigned or appointed: a diplomatic post.
2. the station or rounds of a person on duty, as a soldier, sentry or nurse.
3. a military station with permanent buildings.
4. a local unit of a veterans' organization.
5. See trading post .
6. a place in the stock exchange where a particular stock is traded.
7. (in the British military services) either of two bugle calls (first post and last post) giving notice of the time to retire for the night, similar in purpose to the U.S. taps.
8. the body of troops occupying a military station.
v.t.
9. to place or station at a post.
10. to provide or put up, as bail.
11. to appoint to a post of command.
[ 1590-1600; poste posto positum, neut. of positus, ptp. of ponere to place, put; cf. POSIT ]
Syn. 1. assignment. See appointment .
post 3
/pohst/ , n.
1. Chiefly Brit.
a. a single dispatch or delivery of mail.
b. the mail itself.
c. the letters and packages being delivered to a single recipient.
d. an established mail system or service, esp. under government authority.
2. Brit. See post office (def. 1).
3. (formerly) one of a series of stations along a route, for furnishing relays of men and horses for carrying mail, currency, etc.
4. (formerly) a person who traveled express, esp. over a fixed route, carrying mail, currency, etc.
5. Print. a size of printing paper or, esp. in Britain, of drawing or writing paper, about 16 × 20 in. (41 × 51 cm).
6. post octavo , a size of book, from about 5 × 8 in. to 5 1 / 4 × 8 1 / 4 in. (13 × 20 cm to 13 1 / 3 × 21 cm), untrimmed, in America; 5 × 8 in. (13 × 20 cm), untrimmed, in England. Abbr.: post 8vo
7. post quarto , Chiefly Brit. a size of book, about 8 × 10 in. (20 × 25 cm), untrimmed. Abbr.: post 4vo
v.t.
8. Chiefly Brit. to place in a post office or a mailbox for transmission; mail.
9. Bookkeeping.
a. to transfer (an entry or item), as from the journal to the ledger.
b. to enter (an item) in due place and form.
c. to make all the requisite entries in (the ledger, etc.).
10. to supply with up-to-date information; inform: Keep me posted on his activities.
v.i.
11. Manège. to rise from and descend to the saddle in accordance with the rhythm of a horse at a trot.
12. to travel with speed; go or pass rapidly; hasten.
adv.
13. with speed or haste; posthaste.
14. by post or courier.
15. with post horses.
[ 1500-10; poste posta posita, fem. of positus, ptp. of ponere to place, put. See POST 2 ]
Syn. 10. notify, advise, apprise.