English Explanatory Dictionary

mind one's ps and qs

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To be very careful to behave correctly.

Pronunciation

En-au-mind_one's_p's_and_q's.ogg

Word forms

mind one's ps and qs minds one's ps and qs minding one's ps and qs minded one's ps and qs mind one's pees and cues be on one's pees and cues mind one's peas and cues be on one's peas and cues mind one's pees and kews be on one's pees and kews mind one's pees and ques be on one's pees and ques mind one's P's and Q's be on one's P's and Q's be on one's Ps and Qs

Etymology

Uncertain; OED (3rd edition 2007) says that the origin of the phrase is unknown and states that a common suggestion is that the phrase originates with the distinction of the minuscule letters p and q in either the school-room or the printing-office, but goes on to say that the chronology of the senses argues against this since no such connotation is evident in the earliest quotations. In the early 17th century, however, there is the expression pee and kew in the sense of “highest quality, best possible”. Also recorded as in thy Pee and Kue in 1602. Alternatively folk etymology claims that it comes from the sense that Ps and Qs mean 'Pints and Quarts' which were listed as 'Ps and Qs' before payment. The phrase would then come from minding your alcohol consumption as a result

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