on all fours | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)On one'shandsandknees.1897,Joseph Conrad, chapter 3, inThe Nigger Of The ‘Narcissus’:A bulky form was seen rising aft, and began marchingon all fourswith the movements of some big cautious beast.1916,Elbert Hubbard, “Johannes Brahms”, inLittle Journeys Vol. 14: Great Musicians:He wason all fours, with three children on his back, riding him for a horse.; (idiomatic,often followed by "with")In a manner which issimilarinnatureoreffectto something else;consistent.1886May –1887April,Thomas Hardy, chapter 39, inThe Woodlanders[…], volume(please specify |volume=I to III), London; New York, N.Y.:Macmillan and Co., published1887,→OCLC:The paternal longing ranon all fourswith her own desire.1919, Jefferson Carter (aka Stanley John Weyman), “V The Swamp Fox”, inMadam Constantia:While he brought the ink to the bedside, I read the form and found iton all fourswith what he had said.1920,Rudyard Kipling, chapter 21, inLetters of Travel:The new law was preciselyon all-fourswith the Homestead Act.

Examples:

EN: Not to run on all fours.
ES: No andar a cuatro patas.
EN: And when he's violent, he crawls around on all fours like a...
ES: Y cuando es violento, se arrastra a cuatro patas como...
EN: - Fellas, come back here, on all fours.
ES: Chicos, volved aquí. Deprisa.
EN: You mean runs around on all fours and bites and snaps and bays at the moon?
ES: ¿Quiere decir que anda en cuatro patas y muerde... y le aúlla a la luna?
EN: Those points on his bones-- He has run on all fours... with wolf cubs.
ES: Tiene cayos como si hubiese andado en cuatro patas junto a los lobos
EN: And I'll come back on all fours and bring it back!
ES: - Y yo se las devuelvo.
EN: Go on all fours.
ES: Camina agachada.
EN: Even on all fours.
ES: Hasta a gatas.
EN: - Why don't you get down on all fours again, Waldo?
ES: ¿Por qué no se tira de nuevo al suelo?
EN: I think he'll make his entrance crawling on all fours.
ES: Si no, ven a verme y dime: "Lo siento, Fred.
EN: Do you fly, walk on all fours, or crawl? I've got a car.
ES: ¿Ud. vuela, anda en cuatro patas o se arrastra?
EN: And while she keeps his attention fully occupied, the stooge creeps in on all fours,
ES: Y mientras ella mantiene su atención totalmente ocupada, el títere se arrastra a cuatro patas,
EN: He'd crawl on all fours!
ES: Él se arrastraría a gatas.
EN: - Get on all fours.
ES: - Póngase a cuatro patas.
EN: You think this is right? A serious father of a family... on all fours!
ES: Un hombre serio, padre de familia ¡a gatas!

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