Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter P - Page 98
Posied (a.) Inscribed with a posy.
Posingly (adv.) So as to pose or puzzle.
Posited (imp. & p. p.) of Posit.
Positing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Posit.
Posit (v. t.) To dispose or set firmly or fixedly; to place or dispose in relation to other objects.
Posit (v. t.) To assume as real or conceded; as, to posit a principle.
Position (n.) 位置，地位，身分，形勢，姿勢，立場，職位，狀態，陣地 The state of being posited, or placed; the manner in which anything is placed; attitude; condition; as, a firm, an inclined, or an upright position.
Position (n.) The spot where a person or thing is placed or takes a place; site; place; station; situation; as, the position of man in creation; the fleet changed its position.
Position (n.) Hence: The ground which any one takes in an argument or controversy; the point of view from which any one proceeds to a discussion; also, a principle laid down as the basis of reasoning; a proposition; a thesis; as, to define one's position; to appear in a false position.
Position (n.) Relative place or standing; social or official rank; as, a person of position; hence, office; post; as, to lose one's position.
Position (n.) A method of solving a problem by one or two suppositions; -- called also the rule of trial and error.
Position (v. t.) 安置，決定…的位置 To indicate the position of; to place.
Positional (a.) 位置的，地位的 Of or pertaining to position.
Positive (a.) 確定的；確實的；確信的；有自信的 [F] [（+of/ about）] [+（that）]；絕對的；積極的，建設性的；真實的；實際的；實在的 [Z] [B]；【口】完全的，純粹的 [Z] [B]；【文】原級的 [Z]；【數】正的 [Z]；【物】正的，陽性的 [Z]；【攝】正片的，正像的 [Z]；【醫】陽性的 Having a real position,
existence, or energy; existing in fact; real; actual; -- opposed to negative.
"Positive good." -- Bacon.
Positive (a.) Derived from an
object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations;
absolute; -- opposed to relative; as, the idea of beauty is not positive, but
depends on the different tastes individuals.
Positive (a.) Definitely laid down; explicitly stated; clearly expressed; -- opposed to implied; as, a positive declaration or promise.
Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward's son. -- Bacon.
Positive (a.) Hence: Not admitting of any doubt, condition, qualification, or discretion; not dependent on circumstances or probabilities; not speculative; compelling assent or obedience; peremptory; indisputable; decisive; as, positive instructions; positive truth; positive proof. "'T is positive 'gainst all exceptions." -- Shak.
Positive (a.) Prescribed by express enactment or institution; settled by arbitrary appointment; said of laws.
In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so. -- Hooker.
Positive (a.) Fully assured; confident; certain; sometimes, overconfident; dogmatic; overbearing; -- said of persons.
Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if once wrong, will needs be always. -- Pope.
Positive (a.) Having the power of direct action or influence; as, a positive voice in legislation. -- Swift.
Positive (a.) (Photog.) Corresponding with the original in respect to the position of lights and shades, instead of having the lights and shades reversed; as, a positive picture.
Positive (a.) (Chem.) Electro-positive.
Positive (a.) (Chem.) Hence, basic; metallic; not acid; -- opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals.
Positive (a.) (Mach. & Mech.) Designating, or pertaining to, a motion or device in which the movement derived from a driver, or the grip or hold of a restraining piece, is communicated through an unyielding intermediate piece or pieces; as, a claw clutch is a positive clutch, while a friction clutch is not.
Positive (a.) (Mach. & Mech.) Designating, or pertaining to, a device giving a to-and-fro motion; as, a positive dobby.
Positive (a.) (Vehicles) Designating a method of steering or turning in which the steering wheels move so that they describe concentric arcs in making a turn, to insure freedom from side slip or harmful resistance.
{Positive crystals} (Opt.), A doubly refracting crystal in which the index of refraction for the extraordinary ray is greater than for the ordinary ray, and the former is refracted nearer to the axis than the latter, as quartz and ice; -- opposed to negative crystal, or one in which this characteristic is reversed, as Iceland spar, tourmaline, etc.
{Positive degree} (Gram.), That state of an adjective or adverb which denotes simple quality, without comparison or relation to increase or diminution; as, wise, noble.
{Positive electricity} (Elec), The kind of electricity which is developed when glass is rubbed with silk, or which appears at that pole of a voltaic battery attached to the plate that is not attacked by the exciting liquid; -- formerly called {vitreous electricity}; -- opposed to {negative electricity}.
{Positive eyepiece}. See under {Eyepiece}.
{Positive law}. See {Municipal law}, under {Law}.
{Positive motion} (Mach.), Motion which is derived from a driver through unyielding intermediate pieces, or by direct contact, and not through elastic connections, nor by means of friction, gravity, etc.; definite motion.
{Positive philosophy}. See {Positivism}.
{Positive pole}. (Elec.) The pole of a battery or pile which yields positive or vitreous electricity; -- opposed to {negative pole}.
{Positive pole}. (Magnetism) The north pole. [R.]
{Positive quantity} (Alg.), An affirmative quantity, or one affected by the sign plus [+].
{Positive rotation} (Mech.), Left-handed rotation.
{Positive sign} (Math.), The sign [+] denoting plus, or more, or addition.
Positive (n.) 實在的事物；正面；【文】原級 [the S]；【數】正數；【攝】正片，正像；（電池的）陽極 That which is capable of being affirmed; reality. -- South.
Positive (n.) That which settles by absolute appointment.
Positive (n.) (Gram.) The positive degree or form.
Positive (n.) (Photog.) A picture in which the lights and shades correspond in position with those of the original, instead of being reversed, as in a negative. -- R. Hunt.
Positive (n.) (Elec.) The positive plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.
Positive (a.) Characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or certainty etc.; "a positive attitude"; "the reviews were all positive"; "a positive benefit"; "a positive demand" [ant: {negative}, {neutral}].
Positive (a.) Persuaded of; very sure; "were convinced that it would be to their advantage to join"; "I am positive he is lying"; "was confident he would win" [syn: {convinced(p)}, {positive(p)}, {confident(p)}].
Positive (a.) Involving advantage or good; "a plus (or positive) factor" [syn: {plus}, {positive}].
Positive (a.) Indicating existence or presence of a suspected condition or pathogen; "a positive pregnancy test" [syn: {positive}, {confirming}] [ant: {disconfirming}, {negative}].
Positive (a.) Formally laid down or imposed; "positive laws" [syn: {positive}, {prescribed}].
Positive (a.) Impossible to deny or disprove; "incontrovertible proof of the defendant's innocence"; "proof positive"; "an irrefutable argument" [syn: {incontrovertible}, {irrefutable}, {positive}].
Positive (a.) Of or relating to positivism; "positivist thinkers"; "positivist doctrine"; "positive philosophy" [syn: {positivist}, {positivistic}, {positive}].
Positive (a.) Reckoned, situated or tending in the direction which naturally or arbitrarily is taken to indicate increase or progress or onward motion; "positive increase in graduating students" [ant: {negative}].
Positive (a.) Greater than zero; "positive numbers".
Positive (a.) Having a positive charge; "protons are positive" [syn: {positive}, {electropositive}, {positively charged}].
Positive (a.) Marked by excessive confidence; "an arrogant and cocksure materialist"; "so overconfident and impudent as to speak to the queen"; "the less he knows the more positive he gets" [syn: {cocksure}, {overconfident}, {positive}].
Positive (n.) The primary form of an adjective or adverb; denotes a quality without qualification, comparison, or relation to increase or diminution [syn: {positive}, {positive degree}].
Positive (n.) A film showing a photographic image whose tones correspond to those of the original subject.
Positive (a.) Mistaken at the top of one's voice.
Positive (n.) Express; absolute; not doubtful. This word is frequently used in composition.
Positive (n.) A positive condition is where the thing which is the subject of it must happen; as, if I marry. It is opposed to a negative condition, which is where the thing which is the subject of it must not happen; as, if I do not marry.
Positive (n.) A positive fraud is the intentional and successful employment of any cunning, deception or artifice, to circumvent, cheat, or deceive another. 1 Story, Eq. Sec. 186; Dig. 4, 3, 1, 2; Dig. 2, 14, 7, 9. It is cited in opposition to constructive fraud. (q.v.)
Positive (n.) Positive evidence is that which, if believed, establishes the truth or falsehood of a fact in issue, and does not arise from any presumption. It is distinguished from circumstantial evidence. 3 Bouv. Inst. n. 3057.
Positive (a.) Mistaken at the top of one's voice.
Positively (adv.) 明確地，堅決地，斷然；肯定地；確實，無疑；【美】【口】（用於對答）正是，當然 In a positive manner; absolutely; really; expressly; with certainty; indubitably; peremptorily; dogmatically; -- opposed to negatively.
Good and evil which is removed may be esteemed good or evil comparatively, and positively simply. -- Bacon.
Give me some breath, some little pause, my lord, Before I positively speak herein. -- Shak.
I would ask . . . whether . . . the divine law does not positively require humility and meekness. -- Sprat.
{Positively charged} or {Positively electrified} (Elec.), Having a charge of positive electricity; -- opposed to {negatively charged}.
Positively (adv.) Extremely; "it was positively monumental".
Positively (adv.) So as to be positive; in a positive manner; "she intended her remarks to be interpreted positively".
Positiveness (n.) The quality or state of being positive; reality; actualness; certainty; confidence; peremptoriness; dogmatism. See Positive, a.
Positivism (n.) A system of philosophy originated by M. Auguste Comte, which deals only with positives. It excludes from philosophy everything but the natural phenomena or properties of knowable things, together with their invariable relations of coexistence and succession, as occurring in time and space. Such relations are denominated laws, which are to be discovered by observation, experiment, and comparison. This philosophy holds all inquiry into causes, both efficient and final, to be useless and unprofitable.
Positivist (n.) A believer in positivism.
Positivist (a.) Relating to positivism.
Positivist (a.) Of or relating to positivism; "positivist thinkers"; "positivist doctrine"; "positive philosophy" [syn: positivist, positivistic, positive].
Positivist (n.) Someone who emphasizes observable facts and excludes metaphysical speculation about origins or ultimate causes [syn: positivist, rationalist].
Positivity (n.) Positiveness. -- J. Morley.
Positivity (n.) The character of the positive electric pole [syn: positivity, positiveness] [ant: negativeness, negativity].
Positivity (n.) A quality or state characterized by certainty or acceptance or affirmation and dogmatic assertiveness [syn: positivity, positiveness, positivism] [ant: negativeness, negativism, negativity].
Positivity (n.) The quality of being encouraging or promising of a successful outcome [syn: favorableness, favourableness, advantageousness, positivity, positiveness, profitableness] [ant: unfavorableness, unfavourableness].
Positivity (n.) An amount greater than zero [syn: positivity, positiveness] [ant: negativeness, negativity].
Positivity (n.) The quality of being undeniable and not worth arguing about [syn: incontrovertibility, incontrovertibleness, positivity, positiveness].
Positure (n.) See Posture. [Obs.]
Posnet (n.) A little basin; a porringer; a skillet.
Posologic (a.) Alt. of Posological.
Posological (a.) Pertaining to posology.
Posology (n.) (Med.) The science or doctrine of doses; dosology.
Posology (n.) The pharmacological determination of appropriate doses of drugs and medicines.
Pospolite (n.) A kind of militia in Poland, consisting of the gentry, which, in case of invasion, was summoned to the defense of the country.
Poss (v. t.) To push; to dash; to throw. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
A cat . . . possed them [the rats] about. -- Piers Plowman.
Posse (n.) See Posse comitatus.
In posse. See In posse in the Vocabulary.
Posse (n.) A temporary police force [syn: posse, posse comitatus].
Posse comitatus, () (Law) The power of the county, or the citizens who may be summoned by the sheriff to assist the authorities in suppressing a riot, or executing any legal precept which is forcibly opposed. -- Blackstone.
Posse comitatus, () A collection of people; a throng; a rabble. [Colloq.]
Note: The word comitatus is often omitted, and posse alone used. "A whole posse of enthusiasts." -- Carlyle.
As if the passion that rules were the sheriff of the place, and came off with all the posse. -- Locke.
Posse comitatus (n.) A temporary police force [syn: posse, posse comitatus].
Possessed (imp. & p. p.) of Possess.
Possessing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Possess.
Possess (v. t.) To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold.
Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. -- Jer. xxxii. 15.
Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offense returning, to regain Love once possessed. -- Milton.
Possess (v. t.) To have the legal title to; to have a just right to; to be master of; to own; to have; as, to possess property, an estate, a book.
I am yours, and all that I possess. -- Shak.
Possess (v. t.) To obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to gain; to seize.
How . . . to possess the purpose they desired. -- Spenser.
Possess (v. t.) To enter into and influence; to control the will of; to fill; to affect; -- said especially of evil spirits, passions, etc. "Weakness possesseth me." -- Shak.
Those which were possessed with devils. -- Matt. iv. 24.
For ten inspired, ten thousand are possessed. -- Roscommon.
Possess (v. t.) To put in possession; to make the owner or holder of property, power, knowledge, etc.; to acquaint; to inform; -- followed by of or with before the thing possessed, and now commonly used reflexively.
Possession (v. t.) To invest with property. [Obs.]
Possession (n.) 擁有，具有，佔有，控制；所有物，所有權,，財產;；著魔，著迷 The act or state of possessing, or holding as one's own.
Possession (n.) (Law) The having, holding, or detention of property in one's power or command; actual seizin or occupancy; ownership, whether rightful or wrongful.
Note: Possession may be either actual or constructive; actual, when a party has the immediate occupancy; constructive, when he has only the right to such occupancy.
Possession (n.) The thing possessed; that which any one occupies, owns, or controls; in the plural, property in the aggregate; wealth; dominion; as, foreign possessions.
When the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. -- Matt. xix. 22.
Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. -- Acts v. 1.
The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. -- Ob. 17.
Possession (n.) The state of being possessed or controlled, as by an evil spirit, or violent passions; madness; frenzy; as, demoniacal possession.
How long hath this possession held the man? -- Shak.
To give possession, To put in another's power or occupancy.
To put in possession, To invest with ownership or occupancy; to provide or furnish with; as, to put one in possession of facts or information.
To put in possession (Law), To place one in charge of property recovered in ejectment or writ of entry.
To take possession, To enter upon, or to bring within one's power or occupancy.
Writ of possession (Law), A precept directing a sheriff to put a person in peaceable possession of property recovered in ejectment or writ of entry.
Possession (n.) The act of having and controlling property [syn: possession, ownership].
Possession (n.) Anything owned or possessed.
Possession (n.) Being controlled by passion or the supernatural.
Possession (n.) A mania restricted to one thing or idea [syn: monomania, possession].
Possession (n.) A territory that is controlled by a ruling state.
Possession (n.) The trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior [syn: self-control, self-possession, possession, willpower, will power, self-command, self-will].
Possession (n.) (Sport) The act of controlling the ball (or puck); "they took possession of the ball on their own goal line".
Possession, () intern. law. By possession is meant a country which is held by no other title than mere conquest.
Possession, () In this sense Possession differs from a dependency, which belongs rightfully to the country which has dominion over it; and from colony, which is a country settled by citizens or subjects of the mother country. 3 Wash. C. C. R. 286.
Possession, () property. The detention or enjoyment of a thing which a man holds or exercises by himself or by another who keeps or exercises it in his name. By the possession of a thing, we always conceive the condition, in which not only one's own dealing with the thing is physically possible, but every other person's dealing with it is capable of being excluded. Thus, the seaman possesses his ship, but not the water in which it moves, although he makes each subserve his purpose.
Possession, () In order to complete a possession two things are required. 1st. That there be an occupancy, apprehension, (q.v.) or taking. 2dly. That the taking be with an intent to possess (animus possidendi), hence persons who have no legal wills, as children and idiots, cannot possess or acquire possession. Poth. h. It.; Etienne, h.t. See Mer. R. 358; Abbott on Ship. 9, et seq. But an infant of sufficient understanding may lawfully acquire the possession of a thing.
Possession, () Possession is natural or civil; natural, when a man detains a thing corporeal, as by occupying a house, cultivating grounds or retaining a movable in his custody; possession is civil, when a person ceases to reside in the house, or on the land which he occupied, or to detain the movable he possessed, but without intending to abandon the possession. See, as to possession of lands, 2 Bl. Com. 116; Hamm. Parties, 178; 1 McLean's R. 214, 265.
Possession, () Possession is also actual or constructive; actual, when the thing is in the immediate occupancy of the party. 3 Dey. R. 34. Constructive, when a man claims to hold by virtue of some title, without having the actual Occupancy; as, when the owner of a lot of land, regularly laid out, is in possession of any part, he is considered constructively in possession of the whole. 11 Vern. R. 129. What removal of property or loss of possession will be sufficient to constitute larceny, vide 2 Chit. Cr. Law, 919; 19 Jurist, 14; Etienne, h.t. Civ. Code of Louis. 3391, et seq.
Possession, () Possession, in the civil law, is divided into natural and civil. The same division is adopted by the Civil Code of Louisiana.
Possession, () Natural possession is that by which a man detains a thing corporeal, as by occupying a house, cultivating ground, or retaining a movable in his possession. Natural possession is also defined to be the corporeal detention of a thing, which we possess as belonging to us, without any title to that possession, or with a title which is void. Civ. Code of Lo. art. 3391, 3393.
Possession, () Possession is civil, when a person ceases to reside in a house or on the land which he occupied, or to detain the movable which he possessed, but without intending to abandon the possession. It is the detention of a thing, by virtue of a just title, and under the conviction of possessing as owner. Id. art. 3392, 3394.
Possession, () Possession applies properly only to corporeal things, movables and immovables. The possession of incorporeal rights, such as servitudes and other rights of that nature, is only a quasi. possession, and is exercised by a species of possession of which these rights are susceptible. Id. art. 3395.
Possession, () Possession may be enjoyed by the proprietor of the, thing, or by another for him; thus the proprietor of a house possesses it by his tenant or farmer.
Possession, () To acquire possession of a property, two things are requisite. 1. The intention of possessing as owner. 2. The corporeal possession of the thing. Id. art. 3399.
Possession, () Possession is lost with or without the consent of the possessor. It is lost with his consent, 1. When he transfers this possession to another with the intention to divest himself of it. 2. When he does some act, which manifests his intention of abandoning possession, as when a man throws into the street furniture or clothes, of which he no longer chooses to make use. Id. art. 3411. A possessor of an estate loses the possession against his consent. 1. When another expels him from it, whether by force in driving him away, or by usurping possession during his absence, and preventing him from reentering. 2. When the possessor of an estate allows it to be usurped, and held for a year, without, during that time, having done any act of possession, or interfered with the usurper's possession. Id. art. 3412. 12. As to the effects of the purchaser's taking possession, see Sugd. Vend. 8, 9; 3 P. Wms. 193; 1 Ves. Jr. 226; 12 Ves. Jr. 27; 11 Ves. Jr. 464. Vide, generally, 5 Harr. & John. 230, 263; 6 Har. & John. 336; 1 Har. & John. 18; 1 Greenl. R. 109; 2 Har. & McH. 60, 254, 260; 3 Bibb, R. 209 1 Har. & McH., 210; 4 Bibb, R. 412, 6 Cowen, R. 632; 9 Cowen, R. 241; 5 Wheat. R. 116, 124; Cowp. 217; Code Nap. art. 2228; Code of the Two Sicilies, art. 2134; Bavarian Code, B. 2, c. 4, n. 5; Prus. Code, art. 579; Domat, Lois Civ. liv. 3, t, 7, s. 1; Vin. Ab. h.t.; Wolff, Inst. Sec. 200, and the note in the French translation; 2 Greenl. Ev. Sec. 614, 615; Co. Litt. 57 a; Cro. El. 777; 5 Co. 13; 7 John. 1.
Possessionary (a.) Of or pertaining to possession; arising from possession.
Possessioner (n.) A possessor; a property holder. [Obs.] "Possessioners of riches." -- E. Hall.
Having been of old freemen and possessioners. -- Sir P. Sidney.
Possessioner (n.) An invidious name for a member of any religious community endowed with property in lands, buildings, etc., as contrasted with mendicant friars. [Obs.] -- Wyclif.
Possessival (a.) Of or pertaining to the possessive case; as, a possessival termination. -- Earle.
Possessive (a.) 所有的，佔有的 Of or pertaining to possession; having or indicating possession.
Possessive case (Eng. Gram.), The genitive case; the case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership, origin, or some possessive relation of one thing to another; as, Homer's admirers; the pear's flavor; the dog's faithfulness.
Possessive pronoun, A pronoun denoting ownership; as, his name; her home; my book.
Possessive (n.) (Gram.) The possessive case.
Possessive (n.) (Gram.) A possessive pronoun, or a word in the possessive case.
Possessive (a.) Serving to express or indicate possession; "possessive pronouns"; "the genitive endings" [syn: possessive, genitive].
Possessive (a.) Desirous of owning; "small children are so possessive they will not let others play with their toys".
Having or showing a desire to control or dominate; "a possessive parent".
Possessive (n.) The case expressing ownership [syn: genitive, genitive case, possessive, possessive case].
Possessively (adv.) 佔有地；控制地 In a possessive manner.
Possessively (adv.) In a possessive manner; "he was sleeping, one arm flung possessively across his wife".
Possessor (n.) 持有人，所有人 One who possesses; one who occupies, holds, owns, or controls; one who has actual participation or enjoyment, generally of that which is desirable; a proprietor.
"Possessors of eternal glory." -- Law.
As if he had been possessor of the whole world. -- Sharp.
Syn: Owner; proprietor; master; holder; occupant.
Possessor (n.) A person who owns something; "they are searching for the owner of the car"; "who is the owner of that friendly smile?" [syn: owner, possessor].
Possessor, () He who holds, detains or enjoys a thing, either by himself or his agent, which he claims as his own.
Possessor, () In general the possessor of personal chattels is presumed to be the owner; and in case of real estate he has a right to receive the profits, until a title adverse to his possession has been established, leaving him subject to an action for the mesne profits. (q.v.)
Possessory (a.) 所有的，所有者的 Of or pertaining to possession, either as a fact or a right; of the nature of possession; as, a possessory interest; a possessory lord.
Possessory action or Possessory suit (Law), an action to regain or obtain possession of something. See under Petitory.
Posset (n.) （舊時用來治感冒的）牛奶酒 A beverage composed of hot milk curdled by some strong infusion, as by wine, etc., -- much in favor formerly. "I have drugged their posset." -- Shak.
Posseted (imp. & p. p.) of Posset.
Posseting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Posset.
Posset (v. t.) To curdle; to turn, as milk; to coagulate; as, to posset the blood.
Posset (v. t.) To treat with possets; to pamper.
Possibilities (n. pl. ) of Possibility.
Possibility (n.) The quality or state of being possible; the power of happening, being, or existing.
Possibility (n.) That which is possible; a contingency; a thing or event that may not happen; a contingent interest, as in real or personal estate.
Possible (a.) Capable of existing or occurring, or of being conceived or thought of; able to happen; capable of being done; not contrary to the nature of things; -- sometimes used to express extreme improbability; barely able to be, or to come to pass; as, possibly he is honest, as it is possible that Judas meant no wrong.
Possibly (adv.) In a possible manner; by possible means; especially, by extreme, remote, or improbable intervention, change, or exercise of power; by a chance; perhaps; as, possibly he may recover.
Possum (n.) (Zool.) An opossum. [Colloq. U. S.]
To play possum, To act possum, To feign ignorance, indifference or inattention, with the intent to deceive; to dissemble; -- in allusion to the habit of the opossum, which feigns death when attacked or alarmed.
Possum (n.) Nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America [syn: opossum, possum].
Possum (n.) Small furry Australian arboreal marsupials having long usually prehensile tails [syn: phalanger, opossum, possum].
Compare: Sheth
Sheth, (n.) The part of a plow which projects downward beneath the beam, for holding the share and other working parts; -- also called standard, or post.
Post- () A prefix signifying behind, back, after; as, postcommissure, postdot, postscript.
Post (a.) Hired to do what is wrong; suborned. [Obs.] -- Sir E. Sandys.
Post (n.) A piece of timber, metal, or other solid substance, fixed, or to be fixed, firmly in an upright position, especially when intended as a stay or support to something else; a pillar; as, a hitching post; a fence post; the posts of a house.
They shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper doorpost of the houses. -- Ex. xii. 7.
Then by main force pulled up, and on his shoulders bore, The gates of Azza, post and massy bar. -- Milton.
Unto his order he was a noble post. -- Chaucer.
Note: Post, in the sense of an upright timber or strut, is used in composition, in such words as king-post, queen-post, crown-post, gatepost, etc.
Post (n.) The doorpost of a victualer's shop or inn, on which were chalked the scores of customers; hence, a score; a debt. [Obs.]
When God sends coin I will discharge your post. -- S. Rowlands.
From pillar to post. See under Pillar.
Knight of the post. See under Knight.
Post hanger (Mach.), A bearing for a revolving shaft, adapted to be fastened to a post.
Post hole, A hole in the ground to set the foot of a post in.
Post mill, A form of windmill so constructed that the whole fabric rests on a vertical axis firmly fastened to the ground, and capable of being turned as the direction of the wind varies.
Post and stall (Coal Mining), A mode of working in which pillars of coal are left to support the roof of the mine.
Post (n.) The place at which anything is stopped, placed, or fixed; a station. Specifically:
Post (n.) 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.
Post (n.) A military station; the place at which a soldier or a body of troops is stationed; also, the troops at such a station.
Post (n.) The piece of ground to which a sentinel's walk is limited.
Post (n.) 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.
In certain places there be always fresh posts, to carry that further which is brought unto them by the other. -- Abp. Abbot.
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines, Receiving them from such a worthless post. -- Shak.
Post (n.) 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.
I send you the fair copy of the poem on dullness, which I should not care to hazard by the common post. -- Pope.
Post (n.) Haste or speed, like that of a messenger or mail carrier. [Obs.] "In post he came." -- Shak.
Post (n.) One who has charge of a station, especially of a postal station. [Obs.]
He held office of postmaster, or, as it was then called, post, for several years. -- Palfrey.
Post (n.) A station, office, or position of service, trust, or emolument; as, the post of duty; the post of danger.
The post of honor is a private station. -- Addison.
Post (n.) A size of printing and writing paper. See the Table under Paper.
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. 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.
Post office. 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 town in which post horses are kept.
Post town. 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.
Posted (imp. & p. p.) of Post.
Posting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Post.
Post (v. t.) To attach to a post, a wall, or other usual place of affixing public notices; to placard; as, to post a notice; to post playbills.
Note: Formerly, a large post was erected before the sheriff's office, or in some public place, upon which legal notices were displayed. This way of advertisement has not entirely gone of use.
Post (v. t.) To hold up to public blame or reproach; to advertise opprobriously; to denounce by public proclamation; as, to post one for cowardice.
On pain of being posted to your sorrow Fail not, at four, to meet me. -- Granville.
Post (v. t.) To enter (a name) on a list, as for service, promotion, or the like.
Post (v. t.) To assign to a station; to set; to place; as, to post a sentinel. "It might be to obtain a ship for a lieutenant, . . . or to get him posted." -- De Quincey.
Post (v. t.) (Bookkeeping) To carry, as an account, from the journal to the ledger; as, to post an account; to transfer, as accounts, to the ledger.
You have not posted your books these ten years. -- Arbuthnot.
Post (v. t.) To place in the care of the post; to mail; as, to post a letter.
Post (v. t.) To inform; to give the news to; to make (one) acquainted with the details of a subject; -- often with up.
Thoroughly posted up in the politics and literature of the day. -- Lond. Sat. Rev.
To post off, To put off; to delay. [Obs.] "Why did I, venturously, post off so great a business?" -- Baxter.
To post over, To hurry over. [Obs.] -- Fuller.