postilion
/pɒˈstɪlɪən
/(also postillion)
noun
A person who rides the leading nearside (left-hand side) horse of a team or pair drawing a coach or carriage, especially when there is no coachman.On the journey to London the carriage overturns, Thomas the postilion is bitten by Tabitha's ferocious and much-loved cur Chowder, and the destitute Humphry is engaged in Thomas's place....
- It listed the stereotypical traits of 10 major European nations, enabling innkeepers and postillions to identify passing travellers.
- The cracking of the postillions ' whips, and the velocity with which they drove up to the door, brought out every man, woman and child, to gaze at the new comers, whose appearance sufficiently bespoke their errand.
Origin
Mid 16th century (in the sense 'forerunner acting as guide to the post-horse rider'): from French postillon, from Italian postiglione 'post-boy', from posta (see post2).
Rhymes
- discourse
- discourse analysis
- discourse analyst
- discourse community
- discourse marker
- discourser
- discourse theory
- discoursist
- discoursive
- discoursively
- discoursiveness
- discourt
- discourteous
- discourteously
- discourteousness
- discourtesy
- discovenant
- discover
- discoverability
- discoverable
- discoverably
- discoverance
- discovered check
- discoverer
- discovert