by return of post
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
By the next mail in the opposite direction; originally the phrase re- ferred to the messenger, or "post" who brought the dispatch and would return with the answer.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “by return of post” mean?
By the next mail in the opposite direction; originally the phrase re- ferred to the messenger, or "post" who brought the dispatch and would return with the answer.
Is “by return of post” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.