on one's hands and knees

English

Prepositional phrase

on one's hands and knees

1. With one's body bent over so that the knees and palms of the hands are touching the floor.
   • 1945 January and February, “Notes and News: Locomotive Firing with Turf”, in Railway Magazine, page 46:

     […] the fireman has to divide his time between getting up into the bunker to throw more turfs into the cab, and getting down on his hands and knees to get it into the firebox, and even then a reserve supply of turf must be carried on a truck behind the engine, and stops must be made on each steep ascent to raise more steam.

   • 2021, Michael Farris Smith, chapter 30, in Nick, New York, Boston, London: Little, Brown and Company, page 159:

     He would walk and rage and drag the steel pole and the wagon and he would drink what anyone would give him and his place as the tragic figure of Frenchtown was coalesced after he was seen on his hands and knees lapping at a puddle to rid his throat of the whiskey burn.

Translations

Translations

• Italian: carponi (it)

See also

• on one's knees
• on all fours

Further reading

• “on one's hands and knees”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “be on ones hands and knees”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “on your hands and knees” (US) / “on your hands and knees” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.