post

1 noun

1 POSTAL SYSTEM the post especially BrE the official system for carrying letters, parcels etc from one place to another; mail 1 (1) especially AmE: The letter must have got lost in the post. | be in the post: Your cheque is in the post. | by post: If you send the book by post it should get there by Friday.

2 put sth in the post to send something to someone: I'll put a copy in the post to you today.

3 COLLECTING/DELIVERING LETTERS (C, U) especially BrE the time when letters are collected or delivered, or the act of collecting or delivering them; mail especially AmE: irst/second post (=the first collection or delivery of letters each day): The parcel arrived in the second post. | catch/miss the post: If you hurry, you should catch the last post.

—see also: by return (of) post return 2 (8)

4 LETTERS (U) especially BrE letters, parcels etc delivered to someone's house, office etc; mail 1 (2) especially AmE: Was there any post for me today?

5 PIECE OF WOOD/METAL (C) a strong upright piece of wood, metal etc that is fixed into the ground, especially to support something: a fence post

6 JOB (C) formal especially BrE a job, especially an important one; position 1 (8): She has been offered the post of ambassador to India. | take up a post (=start doing an important job): When he took up his present post at the BBC he was only 33. | resign (from) your post: As a result of the scandal, Profumo was forced to resign his post.

—see job

7 SOLDIER/GUARD ETC sb's post the place where someone is expected to be in order to do their duty: The guard was punished for falling asleep at his post.

8 FOOTBALL/HOCKEY ETC (C) one of the two upright pieces of wood which players try to kick or hit the ball between in football, hockey etc; goalpost

9 RACE the post also the finishing post the place where a race finishes, especially a horse race: Dandyboy fell ten yards from the post.

—see also: as deaf as a post deaf (1), pip sb at the post pip 2 (1), second-class post second­class (3), last post, staging post, trading post 2 verb (T)

1 LETTER especially BrE to send a letter, parcel etc by post; mail AmE: She's just gone to post a letter. | post sb sth/post sth to sb: I posted John the cheque last Friday. | I must post a card to Clara today.

2 keep sb posted to keep telling someone the latest news about something: Please, keep us posted about your financial situation, and let us know if we can help.

3 GUARD to send someone somewhere, to guard a building, check who enters or leaves a place, watch something etc; station 2: Two National Guardsmen had been posted at the gate.

4 JOB (usually passive) especially BrE to send someone to a different country or place to work for a company or to do a period of duty for the army, navy, or government; station 2 AmE: post sb abroad/overseas etc: Roger's been posted overseas for a few years. | post sb to: Two years later he was posted to Buenos Aires.

—see job

5 PUBLIC NOTICE also post up to put up a public notice about something on a wall or notice board: The exam results were posted on the bulletin board yesterday.

6 be posted missing if someone is posted missing, it is announced officially that they have disappeared