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. 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.
[ F poste (masc.) f. It. posto f. Rmc postum (unrecorded) f. L ponere posit- place ]