The phrase "went on all fours" is spelled with the following IPA phonetic transcription: /wɛnt ɒn ɔːl fɔːz/. The "w" in "went" is pronounced with a voiced labial-velar glide [w], while the vowel sound in "on" is an open mid-back rounded vowel [ɒ]. The "r" in "four" is pronounced with a retroflex approximant [ɹ]. It is important to spell this phrase correctly in order to convey the image of crawling on hands and knees.
"Went on all fours" is a phrase that signifies a specific type of movement or posture assumed by animals, wherein they support their bodies using all four limbs or extremities, that being their arms or forelimbs and their legs or hind limbs. This phrase is often used to describe the act of moving like a quadruped or assuming a crawling position similar to that of animals such as dogs, cats, or apes.
In a literal sense, the phrase "went on all fours" implies that the person or animal in question is not walking, standing, or sitting upright on their two legs, but rather lowering themselves down to the ground and relying on their limbs to support their weight. This action resembles the natural posture adopted by animals that walk using all four of their legs simultaneously.
The phrase can also be used metaphorically to describe a person who is behaving or moving in a primitive, animalistic, or undignified manner. In this context, it suggests that the individual is regressing to a more basic or instinctual state, abandoning the use of their bipedal locomotion capabilities and resorting to a more primal form of movement.
Overall, "went on all fours" refers to the act of moving or assuming a posture with the support of all four limbs, either literally or metaphorically, and is commonly associated with animalistic or primitive behavior.