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Synonyms

on all fours

Idioms  
  1. 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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“He’s just standing there, you know, on all fours, and he’s got drool coming down,” recalled Peter, 69.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

The agile robot dog springs up on all fours, takes a step forward and charges at the tense crowd at a Tokyo exhibit, held back by a simple yet strong metal chain.

From Barron's Jan. 30, 2026

Although its limbs were not preserved, the researchers believe it moved on all fours, similar to related species.

From Science Daily Nov. 12, 2025

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

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 29, 2024

Mary Alice’s forehead was greasy now, and we were both down on all fours, pawing through strange old dresses and funny shoes.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

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