postilion

• postillion

From Middle French postillon, and its likely source, Italian postiglione (“guide for driver of post-coach”), from posta (“post”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pɒˈstɪlɪən/

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• (US) IPA^(key): /pəˈstɪljən/, /poʊˈstɪljən/

postilion (plural postilions)

1. A rider mounted on the near (left) leading horse who guides the team pulling a carriage.
   • 1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], “Montreuil”, in A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, , →OCLC:

     C’est un garcon de bonne fortune, said the landlord, pointing through the window to half a dozen wenches who had got round about La Fleur, and were most kindly taking their leave of him, as the postilion was leading out the horses.

   • 1839, [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow], “Mill-wheels and Other Wheels”, in Hyperion, a Romance. , volume I, New York, N.Y.: Samuel Colman , →OCLC, 2nd book, page 164:

     The postilion seized one of his fat horses by the tail, and swung himself up to his seat again.

   • 1842, [Katherine] Thomson, chapter X, in Widows and Widowers. A Romance of Real Life., volume II, London: Richard Bentley, , →OCLC, page 227:

     And now the carriage had fairly left the village; yet the postilions slackened their speed, and drew up gradually before a line of almshouses, […]

   • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 22, in Vanity Fair , London: Bradbury and Evans , published 1848, →OCLC:

     The rain drove into the bride and bridegroom's faces as they passed to the chariot. The postilions' favours draggled on their dripping jackets.

   • 1911, Hilaire Belloc, chapter 6, in The Girondin:

     To play the postilion is not an easy thing. It is a trade by itself—half a gunner's and half a groom's. It has to do with horses—that is bad enough ; but also it involves some knowledge of the road.

2. (obsolete) A post-boy, a messenger boy, a swift letter carrier.

• postilion sentence

• postilion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Borrowed from French postillon.

postilion m (plural postilioni)

1. postilion