post-coach
Definition
Noun: A historical term referring to a horse-drawn coach that operated on a regular schedule between designated stations (posts) along a route, used for transporting passengers and mail before the advent of railways.
Usage Examples
Advanced Usage
- "to travel by post-coach": to use this specific mode of transportation.
- Wealthy merchants often traveled by post-coach for business, while poorer folk walked. (They used the scheduled horse-drawn service.)
Variants and Related Words
Post-chaise (n): a similar but lighter horse-drawn vehicle, often hired privately.
- The gentleman rented a post-chaise for a quicker trip. (A private carriage for hire.)
Post-horse (n): a horse kept at a station for use by the post-coach or riders.
- The post-horses were changed every ten miles to maintain speed. (Horses used for relay.)
Synonyms
- Stagecoach: a horse-drawn coach that traveled between stages (stations) on a regular route.
- Mail coach: a coach specifically designed to carry mail, often similar to a post-coach.
Related Idioms
- "To miss the post-coach": to be left behind or fail to seize an opportunity (historical usage).
- He arrived late and missed the post-coach, delaying his journey by a day. (He failed to catch the scheduled coach.)