Meaning
What does Posthaste mean?
Posthaste is a popular colloquialism, used to invoke the thought of urgency, similar to the phrase “as soon as possible”.
It could literally be translated as “as quick as the post”.
Origin
What's the origin of Posthaste?
Although the exact origin of the term “Posthaste” is not known, it started emerging in the 16th century, originating from the widely spread colloquialism “haste, post, haste”, urging the courier (also known as post) to hurry.
Over time, by the end of the 1500’s, the phrase contracted into its currently known form: “Posthaste”.
One of the earliest documents where the term appears in print is “The Sermons of Master Henry Smith” published in 1637.
Spread & Usage
How did Posthaste spread?
Over the centuries, preceding the age of speedy telecommunication and internet, the post was the best bet for someone who wanted to deliver a message or even a parcel at a rapid pace.
This fact reflected in the wide colloquial usage of the term “Posthaste” which spread with the English language across the entire globe, from London to Boston, from New York to Sydney, present in the entire Anglosphere.
“Posthaste” was first defined on Urban Dictionary on December 13th, 2005, with several other entries to follow.
