• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / Where Did the Phrase “From Pillar to Post” For Someone Lost Come From and What Does the Expression Mean?

Where Did the Phrase “From Pillar to Post” For Someone Lost Come From and What Does the Expression Mean?

June 28, 2020 by Karen Hill

Going from “pillar to post” means moving from one bad situation to another.

The expression comes from the Puritans of New England, who punished those who strayed from their strict moral code by taking them to the pillory where, in public view, their hands and feet were tied until they repented.

If they refused to repent, they were taken to a whipping post and flogged until they acknowledged their sins.

So we say that someone lost is going from “pillar to post”.

Related Facts

  • How did the saying “from pillar to post” originate and What does it mean?
  • Top 25 Inventions That Changed Our Lives Forever
  • What Is the Mystery of the Iron Pillar of Delhi India?
  • Who Carved the “Human Pillar”?
  • How does washing your hands help prevent the spread of germs and disease?
  • Where does the word “post” (posthaste) come from and What does post mean in Latin?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What Does the Phrase “Drunk as Blazes” Mean and Where Did the Expression Come From?
Next Post: Where Did the Expression “Run of the Mill” For Something Ordinary Originate and What Does the Idiom Mean? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy