lamppost

See also: lamp-post

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From lamp +‎ post.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -əʊst

Noun

lamppost (plural lampposts)

  1. The pole that holds up a light so it can illuminate a wide area, such as holds up a streetlight.
    Synonym: lightpost
    • 2017 June 14, Mark Carnall, “The ancient mystery of St Hilda's 'snake stones': what do ammonites really look like?”, in The Guardian‎[1]:
      Visit the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site in the UK, and ammonite road signs greet you at every town and city and even the lampposts on the seafront feature a familiar coiled shell.
    • 2023 January 25, Tom Allett, “Sleaford restored to its 'true' identity”, in RAIL, number 975, page 51:
      "What is really good is they haven't just painted the station building, they've done all the lampposts to match as well, right down to the end of the platform.
  2. (informal, humorous) A tall, thin person.
    Synonyms: beanpole, long ghost
    • 1985, Vladimir Kornilov, Girls to the Front, page 4:
      You big skinny lamppost. And you're going grey!

Translations

References

  • (tall person): 1873, John Camden Hotten, The Slang Dictionary (as "lamp-post")

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