▪ I. postie slang.
(ˈpəʊstɪ)
Also posty.
[f. post n.2 + -ie, -y6.]
A familiar name for a postman.
| 1871 S. S. Jones Northumberland 84/1 Tom Buglehorn, the postie,..when he cam wi' the letters. 1886 H. Baumann Londinismen 143/2 Posty. 1892 G. Stewart Shetland Fireside Tales (ed. 2) 227, I mind when I saw ‘Posty’ come, My heart began ta beat. 1898 [see nuff 1 b]. 1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin ix. 163 The marine postman..was delayed... ‘'Ere, posty!’ shouted some one, ‘got my Dispatch?’ 1939 F. Thompson Lark Rise vi. 106 There was one postal delivery a day, and towards ten o'clock, the heads of the women..would be turned..to watch for ‘Old Postie’. 1953 E. Simon Past Masters ii. 76 If Postie did not offer one a lift on the road—that could not be imagination. 1962 Coast to Coast 1961–62 73 They had a long run on outdoor workers at one stage, and it was often a cop or a postie. 1975 D. Clark Premedicated Murder ii. 29 The postman would read the name rather than the number. So how did the posty..give Harte a card addressed..to Rencory? 1977 S. Wales Guardian 27 Oct. 6/2 He was missed by the upper valley residents on his transfer down to Ammanford, where he has been a ‘postie’ for the past 13 years. |
▪ II. postie
variant of poustie Obs., power.