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in the post

in the post

5 1.0
Sent or received by mail
  • idiom
  • UK
translation icon : por correo
  • Your invoice is in the post.

And lastly, even though I really like this product and I'm wearing it, it is when it came in the post, I was like, so here it is.

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Examples

Synonyms

post
vsin the post
  • UK
204 1.0

Letters and packages that are delivered to people

indicates something is sent or received through that system
mail
vsin the post
175 1.0

Letters and packages sent or delivered by the postal service

expresses that something is sent or received through that service
snail mail
vsin the post
  • Informal
7 3.4

Letters and packages that are sent and delivered by the postal service

covers being sent through that service without contrasting electronic options

How Fast

by return of post
  • Archaic
8.4
in the post
  • UK
5 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

in + the + post

The meaning 'by mail' is directly derivable from combining 'in' (indicating location/medium) with 'the post' (the postal system/letters), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer it. This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically (compare 'in the mail' / 'par la poste') despite being a British preference, so it is predictable rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

In the post comes from the simple image of a letter sitting in the post, meaning inside the mail bag or postbox. If something is in the post, it is literally inside the mail, so it means 'sent or coming by mail'.