Mail, n. [OE. male bag, OF. male, F. malle bag, trunk, mail, OHG.
malaha, malha, wallet; akin to D. maal, male; cf. Gael. & Ir. mala, Gr.
molgo`s hide, skin.] 1. A bag; a wallet. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. The bag or bags with the letters, papers, or other matter contained
therein, conveyed under public authority from one post office to
another; the whole system of appliances used by government in the
conveyance and delivery of mail matter.
There is a mail come in to-day, with letters dated Hague.
Tatler.
3. That which comes in the mail; letters, etc., received through the
post office.
4. A trunk, box, or bag, in which clothing, etc., may be carried.
[Obs.] Sir W. Scott.
Mail bag, a bag in which mailed matter is conveyed under public
authority. -- Mail boat, a boat that carries the mail. -- Mail catcher,
an iron rod, or other contrivance, attached to a railroad car for
catching a mail bag while the train is in motion. -- Mail guard, an
officer whose duty it is to guard the public mails. [Eng.] -- Mail
train, a railroad train carrying the mail.
Mail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mailed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mailing.] To
deliver into the custody of the postoffice officials, or place in a
government letter box, for transmission by mail; to post; as, to mail a
letter. [U. S.]
In the United States to mail and to post are both in common use; as, to
mail or post a letter. In England post is the commoner usage.