The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1188
Post"fact` , n. A fact that occurs after another. "Confirmed upon the postfact ."
Fuller.
Postfactum <Xpage=1119>
Post`fac"tum (?) , n. [LL.] (Rom. & Eng. Law) Same as Postfact .
Post-fine <Xpage=1119>
Post"-fine` (?) , n. [Pref. post- + fine .] (O. Eng. Law) A duty paid to the king by the cognizee in a fine of lands, when the same was fully passed; -- called also the king's silver .
Postfix <Xpage=1119>
Post"fix (?) , n. ; pl. Postfixes (#) . [Pref. post- + -fix , as in prefix : cf. F. postfixe .] (Gram.) A letter, syllable, or word, added to the end of another word; a suffix.
Parkhurst.
Postfix <Xpage=1119>
Post*fix" (?) , v. t. To annex; specifically (Gram.) , to add or annex, as a letter, syllable, or word, to the end of another or principal word; to suffix.
Parkhurst.
Postfrontal <Xpage=1119>
Post*fron"tal (?) , a. [Pref. post- + frontal .] (Anat.) Situated behind the frontal bone or the frontal region of the skull; -- applied especially to a bone back of and below the frontal in many animals. -- n. A postfrontal bone.
Postfurca <Xpage=1119>
Post*fur"ca (?) , n. ; pl. Postfurc\'91 (#) . [NL., fr. post behind + furca a fork.] (Zo\'94l.) One of the internal thoracic processes of the sternum of an insect.
Postgeniture <Xpage=1119>
Post*gen"i*ture (?; 135) , n. [Pref. post- + L. genitura birth, geniture.] The condition of being born after another in the same family; -- distinguished from primogeniture . [R.]
Sir T. Browne.
Postglenoid <Xpage=1119>
Post*gle"noid (?) , a. [Pref. post- + glenoid .] (Anat.) Situated behind the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone.
Posthaste <Xpage=1119>
Post`haste" (?) , n. Haste or speed in traveling, like that of a post or courier.
Shak.
Posthaste <Xpage=1119>
Post`haste , adv. With speed or expedition; as, he traveled posthaste ; to send posthaste .
Shak.
Postthetomy <Xpage=1119>
Post*thet"o*my (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ prepuce + <?/ to cut.] (Med.) Circumcision.
Dunglison.
Posthouse <Xpage=1119>
Post"house` (?) , n. 1. A house established for the convenience of the post, where relays of horses can be obtained.
2. A house for distributing the malls; a post office.
Posthume, Posthumed <Xpage=1119>
Post"hume (?) , Post"humed (?) , a. Posthumos. [Obs.]
I. Watts. Fuller.
Posthumous <Xpage=1119>
Post"hu*mous (?; 277) , a. [L. posthumus , postumus , properly, last; hence, late born (applied to children born after the father's death, or after he had made his will), superl. of posterus , posterior . See Posterior .] 1. Born after the death of the father, or taken from the dead body of the mother; as, a posthumous son or daughter .
2. Published after the death of the author; as, posthumous works; a posthumous edition.
3. Being or continuing after one's death; as, a posthumous reputation .
Addison. Sir T. Browne.
Posthumously <Xpage=1119>
Post"hu*mous*ly , adv. It a posthumous manner; after one's decease.
Postic <Xpage=1119>
Pos"tic (?) , a. [L. posticus , fr. post after, behind.] Backward. [Obs.]
Sir T. Browne.
Postticous <Xpage=1119>
Post"ti*cous (?) , a. [L. posticus .] (Bot.) (a) Posterior. (b) Situated on the outer side of a filament; -- said of an extrorse anther.
Postil <Xpage=1119>
Pos"til (?) , n. [F. postille , apostille , LL. postilla , probably from L. post illa (sc. verba ) after those (words). Cf. Apostil .] 1. Originally, an explanatory note in the margin of the Bible, so called because written after the text; hence, a marginal note; a comment.
Langton also made postils upon the whole Bible. Foxe.
2. (R. C. Ch. & Luth. Ch.) A short homily or commentary on a passage of Scripture; as, the first postils were composed by order of Charlemagne .
Postil <Xpage=1119>
Pos"til , v. t. [Cf. LL. postillare .] To write marginal or explanatory notes on; to gloss.
Bacon.
Postil <Xpage=1119>
Pos"til , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Postiled (<?/) or Postilled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Postiling or Postilling .] To write postils, or marginal notes; to comment; to postillate.
Postiling and allegorizing on Scripture. J. H. Newman.
Postiler <Xpage=1119>
Pos"til*er (?) , n. [Written also postiller .] One who writers marginal notes; one who illustrates the text of a book by notes in the margin.
Sir T. Browne.
Postilion <Xpage=1119>
Pos*til"ion (?) , n. [F. postillon , It. postiglione , fr. posta post. See Post a postman.] One who rides and guides the first pair of horses of a coach or post chaise; also, one who rides one of the horses when one pair only is used. [Written also postillion .]
Postillate <Xpage=1119>
Pos"til*late (?) , v. t. [LL. postillatus , p. p. of postillare .] To explain by marginal notes; to postil.
Tracts . . . postillated by his own hand. C. Knight.
Postillate <Xpage=1119>
Pos"til*late , v. i. 1. To write postils; to comment.
2. To preach by expounding Scripture verse by verse, in regular order.
Postillation <Xpage=1119>
Pos`til*la"tion (?) , n. [LL. postillatio .] The act of postillating; exposition of Scripture in preaching.
Postillator <Xpage=1119>
Pos"til*la`tor (?) , n. [LL.] One who postillates; one who expounds the Scriptures verse by verse.
Posttiller <Xpage=1119>
Post"til*ler (?) , n. See Postiler .
Posting <Xpage=1119>
Post"ing (?) , n. 1. The act of traveling post.
2. (Bookkeeping) The act of transferring an account, as from the journal to the ledger.
Posting house , a post house.
Postliminiar <Xpage=1119>
Post`li*min"i*ar (?) , a. [See Postliminium .] Contrived, done, or existing subsequently. " Postliminious after applications of them to their purposes."
South.
Postliminiary <Xpage=1119>
Post`li*min"i*a*ry (?) , a. Pertaining to, or involving, the right of postliminium.
Postliminium, Postliminy <Xpage=1119>
Post`li*min"i*um (?) , Post*lim"i*ny (?) , n. [L. postliminium , post after + limen , liminis , a threshold.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) The return to his own country, and his former privileges, of a person who had gone to sojourn in a foreign country, or had been banished, or taken by an enemy.
Burrill.
2. (Internat. Law) The right by virtue of which persons and things taken by an enemy in war are restored to their former state when coming again under the power of the nation to which they belonged.
Kent.
Postlude <Xpage=1119>
Post"lude (?) , n. [Pref. post- + -lude , as in prelude .] (Med.) A voluntary at the end of a service.
Postman <Xpage=1119>
Post"man (?) , n. ; pl. Postmen (<?/) . 1. A post or courier; a letter carrier.
2. (Eng. Law) 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 is called the tubman .
Whishaw.
Postmark <Xpage=1119>
Post"mark` (?) , n. The mark, or stamp, of a post office on a letter, giving the place and date of mailing or of arrival.
Postmark <Xpage=1119>
Post"mark` , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Postmarked (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Postmarking .] To mark with a post-office stamp; as, to postmark a letter or parcel .
Postmaster <Xpage=1119>
Post"mas`ter (?) , n. 1. One who has charge of a station for the accommodation of travelers; one who supplies post horses.
2. One who has charge of a post office, and the distribution and forwarding of mails.
Postmaster-general <Xpage=1119>
Post"mas`ter-gen"er*al (?) , n. ; pl. Postmasters-general . The chief officer of the post-office department of a government. In the United States the postmaster-general is a member of the cabinet.
Postmastership <Xpage=1119>
Post"mas`ter*ship , n. The office of postmaster.
Postmeridian <Xpage=1119>
Post`me*rid"i*an (?) , a. [L. postmeridianus ; post after + meridianus . See Meridian .] 1. Coming after the sun has passed the meridian; being in, or belonging to, the afternoon. (Abbrev. P. M. )
2. Fig., belonging to the after portion of life; late. [R.]
Post-mortem <Xpage=1119>
Post-mor"tem (?) , a. [L., after death.] After death; as, post-mortem rigidity .
Post-mortem examination (Med.) , an examination of the body made after the death of the patient; an autopsy. <-- also, simply post-mortem.; (Fig.) any inquiry after the failure of an enterprise to determine the casue of failure -->
Postnares <Xpage=1119>
Post*na"res (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Post- , and Nares .] (Anat.) The posterior nares. See Nares .
Postnatal <Xpage=1119>
Post*na"tal (?) , a. [Pref. post- + natal .] After birth; subsequent to birth; as, postnatal infanticide; postnatal diseases.
Postnate <Xpage=1119>
Post"nate (?) , a. [LL. postnatus second or subsequently born; L. post after + natus born.] Subsequent. "The graces and gifts of the spirit are postnate ." [Archaic]
Jer. Taylor.
Post note <Xpage=1119>
Post" note` (?) . (Com.) A note issued by a bank, payable at some future specified time, as distinguished from a note payable on demand.
Burrill.
Postnuptial <Xpage=1119>
Post*nup"tial (?) , a. [Pref. post- + nuptial .] Being or happening after marriage; as, a postnuptial settlement on a wife .
Kent.
Post-obit, n., ∨ Post-obit bond <Xpage=1119>
Post-o"bit (?) , n. , ∨ Post-o"bit bond` . [Pref. post- + obit .] (Law) A bond in which the obligor, in consideration of having received a certain sum of money, binds himself to pay a larger sum, on unusual interest, on the death of some specified individual from whom he has expectations.
Bouvier.
Postoblongata <Xpage=1119>
Post*ob`lon*ga"ta (?) , n. [NL. See Post- , and Oblongata .] (Anat.) The posterior part of the medulla oblongata.
B. G. Wilder.
Postocular <Xpage=1119>
Post*oc"u*lar (?) , a. & n. [Pref. post- + ocular .] (Zo\'94l.) Same as Postorbital .
Post office <Xpage=1119>
Post" of`fice (?) , n. See under 4th Post .
Postoral <Xpage=1119>
Post*o"ral (?) , a. [Pref. post- + oral .] (Anat.) Situated behind, or posterior to, the mouth.
Postorbital <Xpage=1119>
Post*or"bit*al (?) , a. [Pref. post- + orbital .] (Anat. & Zo\'94l.) Situated behind the orbit; as, the postorbital scales of some fishes and reptiles . -- n. A postorbital bone or scale.
Postpaid <Xpage=1119>
Post"paid` (?) , a. Having the postage prepaid, as a letter.
Postpalatine <Xpage=1119>
Post*pal"a*tine (?) , a. [Pref. post- + palatine .] (Anat.) Situated behind the palate, or behind the palatine bones.
Postpliocene <Xpage=1119>
Post*pli"o*cene (?) , a. (Geol.) [Pref. post- + pliocene .] Of or pertaining to the period immediately following the Pliocene; Pleistocene. Also used as a noun. See Quaternary .
Postpone <Xpage=1119>
Post*pone" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Postponed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Postponing .] [L. postponere , postpositum ; post after + ponere to place, put. See Post- , and Position .] 1. To defer to a future or later time; to put off; also, to cause to be deferred or put off; to delay; to adjourn; as, to postpone the consideration of a bill to the following day, or indefinitely .
His praise postponed , and never to be paid. Cowper.
2. To place after, behind, or below something, in respect to precedence, preference, value, or importance.
All other considerations should give way and be postponed to this. Locke.
Syn. -- To adjourn; defer; delay; procrastinate.
Postponement <Xpage=1119>
Post*pone"ment (?) , n. The act of postponing; a deferring, or putting off, to a future time; a temporary delay.
Macaulay.
Postponence <Xpage=1119>
Post*pon"ence (?) , n. [From L. postponens , p. pr.] The act of postponing, in sense 2. [Obs.]
Johnson.
Postponer <Xpage=1119>
Post*pon"er (?) , n. One who postpones.
Postpose <Xpage=1119>
Post*pose" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Postposed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Postposing .] [F. postposer . See Post- , and Pose , v. t. ] To postpone. [Obs.]
Fuller.
Postposit <Xpage=1119>
Post*pos"it (?) , v. t. [L. postpositus , p. p. See Postpone .] To postpone. [Obs.]
Feltham.
Postposition <Xpage=1119>
Post`po*si"tion (?) , n. [Cf. F. postposition . See Postpone .] 1. The act of placing after, or the state of being placed after. "The postposition of the nominative case to the verb."
Mede.
<page="1120"> Page 1120
2. A word or particle placed after, or at the end of, another word; -- distinguished from preposition .
Postpositional <Xpage=1120>
Post`po*si"tion*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to postposition.
Postpositive <Xpage=1120>
Post*pos"i*tive (?) , a. [See Postpone .] Placed after another word; as, a postpositive conjunction; a postpositive letter. -- Post*pos"i*tive*ly , adv.
Postprandial <Xpage=1120>
Post*pran"di*al (?) , a. [Pref. post- + prandial .] Happening, or done, after dinner; after-dinner; as, postprandial speeches .
Postremogeniture <Xpage=1120>
Pos*tre`mo*gen"i*ture (?; 135) , n. [L. postremus last + genitura birth, geniture.] The right of the youngest born.
Mozley & W.
Postremote <Xpage=1120>
Post`re*mote" (?) , a. [Pref. post- + remote .] More remote in subsequent time or order.
Postrider <Xpage=1120>
Post"rid`er (?) , n. One who rides over a post road to carry the mails.
Bancroft.
Postscapula <Xpage=1120>
Post*scap"u*la (?) , n. [NL. See Post- , and Scapula .] (Anat.) The part of the scapula behind or below the spine, or mesoscapula.
Postscapular <Xpage=1120>
Post*scap"u*lar (?) , a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the postscapula; infraspinous.
Postscenium <Xpage=1120>
Post*sce"ni*um (?) , n. [L., fr. post + scena a scene.] The part of a theater behind the scenes; the back part of the stage of a theater.
Postscribe <Xpage=1120>
Post*scribe" (?) , v. t. [L. postscribere . See Postscript .] To make a postscript. [R.]
T. Adams.
Postscript <Xpage=1120>
Post"script (?) , n. [L. postscriptus , (assumed) p. p. of postscribere to write after; post after + scribere to write: cf. F. postscriptum . See Post- , and Scribe .] A paragraph added to a letter after it is concluded and signed by the writer; an addition made to a book or composition after the main body of the work has been finished, containing something omitted, or something new occurring to the writer. [Abbrev. P. S. ]
Postscripted <Xpage=1120>
Post"script*ed , a. Having a postscript; added in a postscript. [R.]
J. Q. Adams.
Postscutellum <Xpage=1120>
Post`scu*tel"lum (?) , n. [NL. See Post- , and Scutellum .] (Zo\'94l.) The hindermost dorsal piece of a thoracic somite of an insect; the plate behind the scutellum.
Postsphenoid <Xpage=1120>
Post*sphe"noid (?) , a. [Pref. post- + sphenoid .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the posterior part of the sphenoid bone.
Post-temporal <Xpage=1120>
Post-tem"po*ral (?) , a. [Pref. post- + temporal .] (Anat.) Situated back of the temporal bone or the temporal region of the skull; -- applied especially to a bone which usually connects the supraclavicle with the skull in the pectoral arch of fishes. -- n. A post-temporal bone.
Posttertiary <Xpage=1120>
Post*ter"ti*a*ry (?) , a. [Pref. post- + tertiary .] (Geol.) Following, or more recent than, the Tertiary; Quaternary.
Post-tragus <Xpage=1120>
Post"-tra`gus (?) , n. [NL. See Post- , and Tragus .] (Anat.) A ridge within and behind the tragus in the ear of some animals.
Post-tympanic <Xpage=1120>
Post`-tym*pan"ic (?) , a. [Pref. post- + tympanic .] (Anat.) Situated behind the tympanum, or in the skull, behind the auditory meatus.
Postulant <Xpage=1120>
Pos"tu*lant (?; 135) , n. [F., fr. L. postulans , p. pr. of postulare . See Postulate .] One who makes a request or demand; hence, a candidate.
Postulate <Xpage=1120>
Pos"tu*late (?) , n. [L. postulatum a demand, request, prop. p. p. of postulare to demand, prob. a dim. of poscere to demand, prob. for porcscere ; akin to G. forschen to search, investigate, Skr. prach to ask, and L. precari to pray: cf. F. postulat . See Pray .] 1. Something demanded or asserted; especially, a position or supposition assumed without proof, or one which is considered as self-evident; a truth to which assent may be demanded or challenged, without argument or evidence.
2. (Geom.) The enunciation of a self-evident problem, in distinction from an axiom , which is the enunciation of a self-evident theorem.