postman

plural postmen

1. CommonwealthIrelandUKSomeone who delivers the post (mail) to, and/or collects the post from, residential or commercial addresses, or from public mailboxes.

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

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

   4 more examples

   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.; …

   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

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

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

   Please, Mr. Postman, look and see / Is there a letter in your bag for me? / Please, please, Mr. Po-o-ostman

   1961, “Please Mr. Postman”, performed by The Marvelettes

   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.

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

   Synonyms: mailman, mail carrier, letter carrier, postal carrier, mailperson, postperson

2. EnglandhistoricalOne of the two most experienced barristers in the Court of Exchequer, who have precedence in motions, so called from the place where he sat, the other of the two being the tubman.

   Postman of the Court of Exchequer.

   1835, James Whishaw, A Synopsis of the Members of the English Bar

plural Postmans

1. A surname.