to post the cole
Preserved but no longer current.
Also seen as: to tip the cole
Meaning · English
To pay or put down the cash. If he don't tip the cole without more ado, give him a taste of the pump, that's all. — HARRISON ATNSWORTH: Jack Sheppard.
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 “to post the cole” mean?
To pay or put down the cash. If he don't tip the cole without more ado, give him a taste of the pump, that's all. — HARRISON ATNSWORTH: Jack Sheppard.
Is “to post the cole” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.