on one's hands and knees

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word on one's hands and knees. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word on one's hands and knees, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say on one's hands and knees in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word on one's hands and knees you have here. The definition of the word on one's hands and knees will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofon one's hands and knees, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

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

See also

Further reading