This is the 1822nd most frequent German word.
pfosten
Post; stake; upright supporting structure.
In this sentence, 'Pfosten' is used metaphorically as a term for someone considered clumsy or not reactive.
Er nannte ihn einen Pfosten, weil er ungeschickt war.
He called him a post because he was clumsy.
Here, 'Pfosten' denotes the structural posts used to support a fence.
Die Bauern befestigten den Zaun an den Pfosten.
The farmers attached the fence to the posts.
Here, 'Pfosten' is used to mean a literal physical post, such as in sports where it refers to parts of the goal.