postilion

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pos·til·ion

also pos·til·lion (pō-stĭl′yən, pŏ-)

One who rides the near horse of the leaders to guide the horses drawing a coach.

[French postillon, from Italian postiglione, from posta, mail, from Old Italian, mail station; see post³.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

postilion

(pɒˈstɪljən) or

postillion

(Horse Training, Riding & Manège) a person who rides the near horse of the leaders in order to guide a team of horses drawing a coach

[C16: from French postillon, from Italian postiglione, from posta post³]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pos•til•ion

(poʊˈstɪl yən, pɒ-)

n.

a person who rides the left horse of the leading or only pair of horses drawing a carriage.

Also, esp. Brit.,pos•til′lion.

[1580–90; earlier postillon < Middle French < Italian postiglione]

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Noun

postilion - someone who rides the near horse of a pair in order to guide the horses pulling a carriage (especially a carriage without a coachman)

postillion

equestrian, horseback rider, horseman - a man skilled in equitation

Translations

postilion

[pəsˈtɪlɪən] N → postillón m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

postil(l)ion

n → Reiter(in) m(f) → des Sattelpferdes

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

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References in classic literature ?

The postilion came to the carriage door to ask if I had further need of his services.

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D'Artagnan stopped the postilion who rode the pack-horse, at the corner of the Rue des Lombards, under a penthouse, and calling one of Planchet's boys, he desired him not only to take care of the two horses, but to watch the postilion; after which he entered the shop of the grocer, who had just finished supper, and who, in his little private room, was, with a degree of anxiety, consulting the calendar, on which, every evening, he scratched out the day that was past.

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No doubt the order had been given the postilion beforehand, for Aramis had no occasion even to make a sign.

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I remember they made me laugh uncommonly--there's a droll bit about a postilion's breeches.

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Ere Alleyne could answer there swung round the curve of the road a lady's carriage drawn by three horses abreast with a postilion upon the outer one.

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The postilion started, the carriage wheels rattled.

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"Stop, that the gentleman may see," said the officer, with that frank kindliness which is peculiar to military men, to the soldier who was acting as postilion.

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'Tis gold!" they cried; and they rushed forward, seized the horses, knocked down the little postilion, the coachman, and the servants, and pulled little Gerda out of the carriage.

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Monsieur the Marquis in his travelling carriage (which might have been lighter), conducted by four post-horses and two postilions, fagged up a steep hill.

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The Postilions had at first received orders only to take the London road; as soon as we had sufficiently reflected However, we ordered them to Drive to M .

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The postilions' favours draggled on their dripping jackets.

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Villefort rose, or rather sprang, from his chair, hastily opened one of the drawers of his desk, emptied all the gold it contained into his pocket, stood motionless an instant, his hand pressed to his head, muttered a few inarticulate sounds, and then, perceiving that his servant had placed his cloak on his shoulders, he sprang into the carriage, ordering the postilions to drive to M.