From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Post \Post\, n. [F. poste, LL. posta station, post (where horses
were kept), properly, a fixed or set place, fem. fr. L.
positus placed, p. p. of ponere. See {Position}, and cf.
{Post} a pillar.]
1. The place at which anything is stopped, placed, or fixed;
a station. Specifically:
(a) A station, or one of a series of stations, established
for the refreshment and accommodation of travelers on
some recognized route; as, a stage or railway post.
(b) A military station; the place at which a soldier or a
body of troops is stationed; also, the troops at such
a station.
(c) The piece of ground to which a sentinel's walk is
limited.
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2. A messenger who goes from station; an express; especially,
one who is employed by the government to carry letters and
parcels regularly from one place to another; a letter
carrier; a postman.
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In certain places there be always fresh posts, to
carry that further which is brought unto them by the
other. --Abp. Abbot.
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I fear my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless post. --Shak.
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3. An established conveyance for letters from one place or
station to another; especially, the governmental system in
any country for carrying and distributing letters and
parcels; the post office; the mail; hence, the carriage by
which the mail is transported.
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I send you the fair copy of the poem on dullness,
which I should not care to hazard by the common
post. --Pope.
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4. Haste or speed, like that of a messenger or mail carrier.
[Obs.] "In post he came." --Shak.
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5. One who has charge of a station, especially of a postal
station. [Obs.]
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He held office of postmaster, or, as it was then
called, post, for several years. --Palfrey.
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6. A station, office, or position of service, trust, or
emolument; as, the post of duty; the post of danger.
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The post of honor is a private station. --Addison.
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7. A size of printing and writing paper. See the Table under
{Paper}.
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{Post and pair}, an old game at cards, in which each player a
hand of three cards. --B. Jonson.
{Post bag}, a mail bag.
{Post bill}, a bill of letters mailed by a postmaster.
{Post chaise}, or {Post coach}, a carriage usually with four
wheels, for the conveyance of travelers who travel post.
{Post day}, a day on which the mall arrives or departs.
{Post hackney}, a hired post horse. --Sir H. Wotton.
{Post horn}, a horn, or trumpet, carried and blown by a
carrier of the public mail, or by a coachman.
{Post horse}, a horse stationed, intended, or used for the
post.
{Post hour}, hour for posting letters. --Dickens.
{Post office}.
(a) An office under governmental superintendence, where
letters, papers, and other mailable matter, are
received and distributed; a place appointed for
attending to all business connected with the mail.
(b) The governmental system for forwarding mail matter.
{Postoffice order}. See {Money order}, under {Money}.
{Post road}, or {Post route}, a road or way over which the
mail is carried.
{Post town}.
(a) A town in which post horses are kept.
(b) A town in which a post office is established by law.
{To ride post}, to ride, as a carrier of dispatches, from
place to place; hence, to ride rapidly, with as little
delay as possible.
{To travel post}, to travel, as a post does, by relays of
horses, or by keeping one carriage to which fresh horses
are attached at each stopping place.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Post office \Post" of`fice\, n.
See under 4th {Post}.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
post office
n 1: a local branch where postal services are available" [syn:
{post office}, {local post office}]
2: an independent agency of the federal government responsible
for mail delivery (and sometimes telecommunications) between
individuals and businesses in the United States [syn: {United
States Post Office}, {US Post Office}, {Post Office}, {PO}]
3: a children's game in which kisses are exchanged for pretended
letters
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