In this idiom question, choose the alternative that best expresses the meaning of the phrase: Pillar to post.

Introduction / Context:
Idiom and phrase questions check your understanding of fixed expressions in English that cannot be interpreted literally. The expression here is “Pillar to post”. You must choose the option that best captures the idiomatic meaning of this phrase, as it is used in everyday speech and in exam passages.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Idiom: “Pillar to post”. Usually used in the structure “from pillar to post”.
• Options: “Main support of an object”, “One place to another”, “To be reluctant”, “To incite others”.
• We assume the standard idiomatic meaning used in Indian and international English exams.

Concept / Approach:
The phrase “from pillar to post” does not literally refer to physical pillars and posts. Instead, it describes a situation in which a person is sent repeatedly from one place, person, or authority to another, usually in search of help, information, or justice, but without getting a proper response. The key ideas are movement between places and the sense of inconvenience or frustration. Therefore, the correct option should at least convey the idea of being moved from place to place.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the standard meaning: “to go from pillar to post” means to be sent all around, from one office or person to another, often uselessly. Step 2: Examine option B “One place to another”. This matches the core idea of being moved or going from one place to another, especially repeatedly. Step 3: Check option A “Main support of an object”. This refers to a structural pillar or key support, focusing on a literal meaning, which is not the idiomatic sense. Step 4: Option C “To be reluctant” describes a lack of willingness, which has nothing to do with being sent around. Step 5: Option D “To incite others” means to provoke or stir people to action, again unrelated to the idea of being pushed around places. Step 6: Therefore, option B is the best match.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider a sentence: “For weeks, he was sent from pillar to post by government offices just to get one certificate.” If we paraphrase, we can say: “For weeks, he was sent from one place to another by government offices just to get one certificate.” The meaning remains essentially the same, with the focus on the tiresome movement and lack of resolution. None of the other options can replace the idiom in this sentence without changing the meaning completely.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Main support of an object: relates to a literal “pillar” and misses the entire idiomatic sense of repeated movement. To be reluctant: concerns someone’s attitude or willingness, not their physical or bureaucratic movement. To incite others: means to provoke action or agitation, which is conceptually unrelated to being sent from place to place.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes overthink idioms and try to connect them to very specific meanings, like “seeking justice” or “facing corruption”. While those contexts are common, the core idea of the idiom is simpler: unnecessary or repeated movement from one place or person to another. If you remember this basic sense, you will not get confused by superficial similarities to more complex options.

Final Answer:
The idiom “Pillar to post” (usually “from pillar to post”) means one place to another, especially in a troublesome or unproductive way.