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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.

I went in probably on all fours just because I was tired.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 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 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 • Oct. 18, 2024

The girl stood up, but swayed and then dropped down to her hands and feet, like me, and we moved on all fours, holding to crossties.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.