from pillar to post

Etymology
Possibly originally , perhaps a reference to the rapid movement of the ball in real tennis; The Wordsworth Dictionary of Proverbs (1993) notes that from post to pillar dates to at least the 15th century.

Adverb

 * 1)  From one place (or person, or task) to another; from post to pillar, hither and thither.
 * 2) * 2003, Joan Steinau Lester, Fire in My Soul: , New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, ISBN 978-0-7434-0787-8 ; republished New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, January 2004, ISBN 978-0-7434-0788-5, page 263:
 * We campaigned like hell. On election day we went from pillar to post begging people to support us.
 * 1) * 2003, Joan Steinau Lester, Fire in My Soul: , New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, ISBN 978-0-7434-0787-8 ; republished New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, January 2004, ISBN 978-0-7434-0788-5, page 263:
 * We campaigned like hell. On election day we went from pillar to post begging people to support us.
 * 1) * 2003, Joan Steinau Lester, Fire in My Soul: , New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, ISBN 978-0-7434-0787-8 ; republished New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, January 2004, ISBN 978-0-7434-0788-5, page 263:
 * We campaigned like hell. On election day we went from pillar to post begging people to support us.

Usage notes
The term normally implies a harassing situation.

Translations

 * Catalan: d'Herodes a Pilat
 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin:, 四处奔走, 到处漂泊
 * Dutch: van het kastje naar de muur, van hot naar her
 * Esperanto: tien reen
 * Finnish: sinne tänne
 * German:
 * Irish: ó thor go tom
 * Polish: od Annasza do Kajfasza
 * Romanian: de colo colo
 * Russian:
 * Spanish: ir de Herodes a Pilatos, de ceca en meca
 * Welsh: o bared i bost, o goed i gastell, o bant i dalar, o bant i bentan, o walbant i walbant