pilgrim's progress

English

Etymology

Referring to the Christian allegory The Pilgrim's Progress, 1678, by John Bunyan.

Noun

pilgrim's progress

1. A morally or spiritually testing journey, often filled with obstacles, learning experiences, and eventual transformation or enlightenment.
2. Any slow, difficult, dour or funless journey.
   • 1961, Xavier Herbert, Soldiers' Women, Netley, SA: Fontana Books, published 1978, page 74:

     Lady Rosie - so mad-cap in the gaiety of summer's full-blowing that even the organizer of the prim-and-properness forgot about it. Thus what has been planned to be a sort of pilgrim's progress turned out to be a fairy frolic[.]

3. Moral, spiritual, meaningful, or redemptive progress.