postman

From post +‎ -man.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpəʊsmən/, /ˈpəʊstmən/

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postman (plural postmen)

1. (chiefly UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) someone who delivers the post (mail) to, and/or collects the post from, residential or commercial addresses, or from public mailboxes.
   • 1876–1877, Benjamin Homans (ed.), The Banker's Magazine and Statistical Register. Volume thirty-first, or, Volume eleventh of the third Series. From July, 1876, to June, 1877, inclusive, p. 283:

     The total of their members amounts to 342,723 for 1875. Among these number [...] 6,968 male and sixty-three female postmen, imperial railway, telegraph, and post officials, railway workmen, dependent boatmen, waiters, &c.; [...]

   • 1890 February, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge”, in The Sign of Four (Standard Library), London: Spencer Blackett […], →OCLC, page 72:

     A single narrow iron-clamped door formed the only means of entrance. On this our guide knocked with a peculiar postman-like rat-tat.

   • 1971, J. P. Gallagher, Fred Karno: Master of Mirth and Tears, page 119:

     The headmistress entered and told the girls "I want you to do everything you can to help the war effort—you are old enough to do it now." The girls changed into women postmen, head waiters, soldiers, landgirls, butchers and carpenters.

   • 2022 September 7, Philip Haigh, “Comment: More strikes and poor morale”, in RAIL, number 965, page 3:

     Postmen, binmen, dock workers, even barristers are now on strike. Where will all this end?

2. One of the two most experienced barristers in the Court of Exchequer, who have precedence in motions, so called from the place where he sits, the other of the two being the tubman.
   • 1835, James Whishaw, A Synopsis of the Members of the English Bar:

     Postman of the Court of Exchequer.

• (one who delivers the post): mailman, mail carrier, letter carrier, postal carrier, mailperson, postperson

• (one who delivers post): mailwoman, mail lady, postwoman, post lady

• Chinese postman problem

• tampons, topsman