on all fours

Idioms and Phrases

On one's hands and knees, as in Seven of us were on all fours, looking for the lost earring in the sand . In this idiom fours refers to the four limbs. [1300s]

Example Sentences

The Durham pair added 37 from 31 balls before Stokes charged at Noman, comically flung his bat into the leg side and was left on all fours as wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan removed the bails.

From BBC

The man limps out and rubs his face before falling on all fours as the officers drive away.

From Los Angeles Times

“Booty, booty, booty,” my class instructor, DeNae D’Auria, calls out as we, on all fours, donkey kick with a bungee cord over one foot to increase resistance.

From Los Angeles Times

The Boo Hag dodges it and leaps onto a wall on all fours.

From Literature

We moved on all fours because it’s quicker, and expected.

From Literature

Related Words

• dragging