on all fours
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
in a position on hands and knees
Literally: on all four limbs
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
The child was playing on all fours.
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
lồm cồm
(adjective) clumsy, awkward with both hands and feet; (for movement) on all fours
Tiếng Việt
Near equivalent
with both hands
Eagerly and willingly
English · via lồm cồm
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “on all fours” mean?
in a position on hands and knees Literally: on all four limbs
Is “on all fours” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
What is the closest equivalent?
“lồm cồm” (Tiếng Việt) — near equivalent.