on all fours

on all fours
on all fours
on one's hands and knees. •

I dropped a contact lens and spent an hour on all fours looking for it.

The baby can walk, but is on all fours most of the time anyway.

* * *
{adv. phr.} 1. On all four legs; on hands and knees. * /Fido sat up to "beg" but dropped down on all fours to eat the dog biscuit Sam gave him./ * /Billy's father got down on all fours and gave the baby a ride./ 2. {informal} On a level of equality; of the same value. * /Wigs may be widely used, but they are still not on all fours with beautiful natural hair./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • All fours — [formerly, {All four }.] All four legs of a quadruped; or the two legs and two arms of a person. [1913 Webster] {To be on all fours}, {To go on all fours}, or {To run on all fours} (Fig.), to be on the same footing; to correspond (with) exactly;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • all fours — all′ fours′ n. 1) all four limbs or extremities; the four feet of an animal or both hands and both feet of a person: to walk or land on all fours[/ex] 2) gam (used with a sing. v.) Also called pitch I, 38), seven up a card game for two or three… …   From formal English to slang

  • all fours — Identical; similar. Dictionary from West s Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. all fours Identical; similar. Short Dictionary of (mostly Am …   Law dictionary

  • all fours — →on all fours at ↑four …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • all fours — n. any of several card games in which four points may be scored during the play of a hand, for winning the high trump, low trump, and jack of trumps, and for “game” (the largest high card count): see also phrase ON ALL FOURS (at FOUR) …   English World dictionary

  • all-fours — all foursˈ noun A card game in which there are four chances that score a point (see also ↑four) • • • Main Entry: ↑all …   Useful english dictionary

  • All Fours — Not to be confused with All four. All Fours Setup to a three player game Origin England Alternative name(s) High Low Jack, Old Sledge, Seven Up Type Trick taking …   Wikipedia

  • All-Fours — Infobox CardGame title =All Fours subtitle = image link = image caption = alt names = Old Sledge, Seven Up type = trick taking players = 4 ages = num cards = 52 card deck = Anglo American play = Counter Clockwise card rank = origin =England… …   Wikipedia

  • all fours — 1. all four limbs or extremities; the four legs or feet of an animal or both arms and both legs or both hands and both feet of a person: The cat rolled off the ledge but landed on all fours. 2. (used with a sing. v.) Also called high low jack,… …   Universalium

  • All fours — Four Four, n. 1. The sum of four units; four units or objects. [1913 Webster] 2. A symbol representing four units, as 4 or iv. [1913 Webster] 3. Four things of the same kind, esp. four horses; as, a chariot and four. [1913 Webster] {All fours}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • all fours — Two cases or decisions which are alike in all material respects, and precisely similar in all the circumstances affecting their determination, are said to be or to run on all fours …   Black's law dictionary

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