all fours

plural noun

1

a

: all four legs of a quadruped

b

: the two legs and two arms of a person when used to support the body

down on all fours

After a few tense moments, she dropped to all fours …

—Carl Hiassen

2

singular in construction : any of various card games in which points are scored for the high trump, low trump, jack of trumps, and game

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

all fours

plural noun

: all four legs of a four-legged animal or the two legs and two arms of a person

got down on all fours