post
noun /pəʊst/
/pəʊst/
Idioms - (British English)(also mail North American English, British English)[uncountable] the official system used for sending and delivering letters, packages, etc.
- by post I'll send the original to you by post.
- I sent it by first-class post.
- in the post I'll put the documents in the post to you tomorrow.
- My application got lost in the post.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- first-class
- second-class
- registered
- …
- by post
- in the post
- by return of post
- (British English)(also mail North American English, British English)[uncountable] letters, packages, etc. that are sent and delivered
- There was a lot of post this morning.
- Have you opened your post yet?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- first
- last
- check
- open
- box
- (British English) [uncountable, singular] an occasion during the day when letters, etc. are collected or delivered
- to catch/miss the post
- in the post The parcel came in this morning's post.
- The form should arrive in the post tomorrow.
- Payment should be sent by return of post (= immediately).
- Do you get a second post here?
British/American post / mailpost / mailNouns- In British English the official system used for sending and delivering letters, parcels/packages, etc. is usually called the post. In North American English it is usually called the mail:
- I’ll put an application form in the post/mail for you today.
- Send your fee by post/mail to this address.
- the Royal Mail.
- the US Postal Service.
- In British English post is also used to mean the letters, parcels/packages, etc. that are delivered to you. Mail is the usual word in North American English and is sometimes also used in British English:
- Was there any post/mail this morning?
- I sat down to open my post/mail.
- Compare:
- I’ll post the letter when I go out.
- I’ll mail the letter when I go out.
- Note these words: postman (British English), mailman/mail carrier (both North American English); postbox (British English), mailbox (North American English) Some compounds are used in both British English and North American English: post office, postcard, mail order.
Culture postal servicespostal servicesMost letters and many packages sent in Britain are dealt with by the Royal Mail, which is part of the Royal Mail Group Ltd. The Post Office manages the country's many post offices. The Royal Mail is a private limited company, having been sold by the government in 2013. As well as selling stamps, post offices take in letters and packages that are to be sent by special delivery. They also offer foreign currency exchange. Small post offices are now often based in a newsagent's or other shop, rather than being in a separate building. In recent years, many smaller post offices have been closed because they do not make a profit, though this has led to protests from local people.Mail is often called post in British English. When sending a letter, people can choose between two levels of service, first class or the cheaper second class. Normally, first-class mail is delivered the day after it is posted and second-class mail within two or three days. Every address in Britain includes a postcode of letters and numbers, for example OX2 6DP for an address in Oxford, that makes it possible to sort the post by machine. Letters are posted in red postboxes, also called letter boxes. Each has a sign giving times of collections. Postmen and postwomen deliver mail Monday to Saturday direct to homes and businesses. They put the mail through a flap in the door, which is also called a letter box. In rural areas they travel round in red vans, but in towns and villages they usually go from house to house on foot or on bicycles.The system that deals with mail in the US, the US Postal Service (USPS), is an independent part of the government. Its head is the Postmaster General. Mail carriers, sometimes called mailmen or mailwomen, deliver mail to homes and businesses once a day, Monday to Saturday. Most homes have mailboxes (= small boxes where letters can be put) fixed outside, near the door. It is very unusual for a house to have a letter box in the door for letters. People whose houses are a long way from the road have a special rural mailbox by the road for mail to be delivered to. The mailbox has a flag which is raised to let the mail carrier know when there is mail inside to be collected for sending. In cities and towns letters to be sent are posted in one of the many blue mailboxes. Every address in the US includes an abbreviation for the name of the state and a ZIP code, which is used to help sort the mail. Post offices sell stamps and deal with mail that has to be insured. Most cities have one post office which stays open late. Americans complain about the Postal Service, but it usually does an efficient job at a reasonable price.In the US only the Postal Service can deliver mail to letter boxes and the Service has a monopoly on first-class mail that is not urgent. In Britain the post office does not have a monopoly on delivery of post. In both countries there are many companies who provide courier and messenger services for urgent mail. The largest of these include FedEx and DHL. In Britain private companies may also deliver mail to letter boxes.Extra Examples- The book arrived in the morning post.
- If you hurry you'll just catch the post.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- first
- last
- check
- open
- box
- (also posting)[countable] a message sent to a discussion group on the internet; a piece of writing that forms part of a blog
- I love reading her posts because I learn so much.
- They have deleted all my posts.
- post about somebody/something She wrote a post about the experience on her blog.
- post by somebody This post by Mark Brady is very interesting.
- post from somebody The forum does not allow posts from non-members.
Extra Examples- To respond to your comments, please see my previous post.
- Here's a link to my recent posts.
- More info can be found in my first post on the subject.
- Do leave a comment on this post.
- Seth made a blog post titled ‘Rules of Engagement’.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- blog
- earlier
- original
- …
- make
- write
- read
- …
- be entitled something
- be titled something
- post about
- post on
- [countable] a job, especially an important one in a large organization synonym position
- an academic/a government post
- She took up a teaching post at Basle University.
- to resign (from)/quit/leave a post
- We will be creating 15 new posts next year.
- The company has been unable to fill the post.
- He has held the post for three years.
- She was offered a key post in the new government.
- post of something He accepted the post of deputy prime minister.
Synonyms jobjob- position
- post
- vacancy
- appointment
- job work for which you receive regular payment:
- He’s trying to get a job in a bank.
- position (rather formal) a job:
- a senior position in a large corporation
- post a job, especially an important one in a large organization:
- a key post in the new government
- vacancy a job that is available for somebody to do:
- We have several vacancies for casual workers.
- appointment (rather formal, especially British English) a job or position of responsibility:
- This is a permanent appointment, requiring commitment and hard work.
- a permanent/temporary job/position/post/vacancy/appointment
- a full-time/part-time job/position/post/vacancy/appointment
- to have/have got a(n) job/position/post/vacancy/appointment
- to apply for/fill a job/position/post/vacancy
- to resign from/leave/quit a job/position/post
Extra ExamplesTopics Working lifeb2- He was dismissed from his post when he was found to have accepted bribes.
- She applied for the new post of training officer.
- Three company directors have resigned (from) their posts.
- a Cabinet post
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- senior
- full-time
- part-time
- …
- apply for
- get
- take
- …
- post as
- post of
- (especially North American English) (British English usually posting)an act of sending somebody to a particular place to do their job, especially for a limited period of time
- an overseas post
- The island is rated by diplomats as a hardship post (= one that people do not like to be sent to because it is not a very comfortable place to live).
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- senior
- full-time
- part-time
- …
- apply for
- get
- take
- …
- post as
- post of
- [countable] the place where somebody, especially a soldier, does their job
- a police/military/customs post
- an observation post
- Three soldiers were shot dead at a border post.
- The guards were ordered not to leave their posts.
Extra Examples- The guard took up his post at the gate.
- The gun crew were at their posts.
- The sentries had deserted their posts.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- army
- police
- command
- …
- take up
- desert
- at your post
- [countable] (often in compounds) a piece of wood or metal that is set in the ground in a position pointing upwards, especially to support something or to mark a point
- She tied the dog to a post.
- corner posts (= that mark the corners of a sports field)
- The team’s ‘net’ was a piece of string tied to two posts.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fence
- finishing
- winning
- …
- be pipped at the post
- pip somebody/something to the post
- the post[singular] the place where a race finishes, especially in horse racing
- The first horse past the post wins the race.
- She led for most of the way before being pipped at the post (= beaten at the last moment).
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fence
- finishing
- winning
- …
- be pipped at the post
- pip somebody/something to the post
- (also goalpost)[countable, usually singular] one of the two posts that form part of a goal
- The ball hit the post and bounced in.
- He steered a shot between the goalkeeper and the near post.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fence
- finishing
- winning
- …
- be pipped at the post
- pip somebody/something to the post
letters
internet
job
for soldier/guard
wood/metal
end of race
football
Word Originnoun senses 6 to 8 Old English, from Latin postis ‘doorpost’, later ‘rod, beam’, probably reinforced in Middle English by Old French post ‘pillar, beam’ and Middle Dutch, Middle Low German post ‘doorpost’. noun senses 1 to 3 early 16th cent. (referring to couriers who carried mail on horseback between fixed stages): from French poste, from Italian posta, from a contraction of Latin posita, feminine past participle of ponere ‘to place’. noun senses 4 to 5 mid 16th cent.: from French poste, from Italian posto, from a contraction of popular Latin positum, neuter past participle of ponere ‘to place’.
Idioms
be driven, pushed, etc. from pillar to post
- to be forced to go from one person or situation to another without achieving anything
- Morale is very low. People have just had enough of being thrown from pillar to post.
(as) deaf as a post
- (informal) very deaf (= unable to hear anything)More Like This Similes in idiomsSimiles in idioms
- (as) bald as a coot
- (as) blind as a bat
- (as) bright as a button
- (as) bold as brass
- as busy as a bee
- as clean as a whistle
- (as) dead as a/the dodo
- (as) deaf as a post
- (as) dull as ditchwater
- (as) fit as a fiddle
- as flat as a pancake
- (as) good as gold
- (as) mad as a hatter/a March hare
- (as) miserable/ugly as sin
- as old as the hills
- (as) pleased/proud as Punch
- as pretty as a picture
- (as) regular as clockwork
- (as) quick as a flash
- (as) safe as houses
- (as) sound as a bell
- (as) steady as a rock
- (as) thick as two short planks
- (as) tough as old boots