return of post
- noun
- Archaic
:
respuesta por correo
- The letter requested a reply by return of post to confirm attendance.
Examples
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We would appreciate it if you could respond by return of post.
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Please let us know your decision by return of post as time is short.
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I expect a return of post by tomorrow.
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The return of post is delayed this week.
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Please let us know your decision by return of post to ensure timely processing.
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The invitation included instructions to RSVP by return of post for proper planning.
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We would greatly appreciate your comments sent by return of post for our records.
Synonyms
Send something as soon as possible by the next post
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The constituents 'return' and 'post' clearly signal a mail-related action, so a learner who knows those words would likely infer this has to do with mail or a reply by mail. However, the precise legal/formal sense of 'the next available delivery' or the conventional idiomatic use 'an immediate reply by post' is not fully predictable from the parts or the unusual prepositional phrasing, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The phrase return of post may come from old mail rounds: the mail carrier's return trip would bring answers with the post, so asking for a reply 'by return of post' meant 'please reply on the next delivery'.