mind the store

Idioms  

1. Attend to local or family matters, as in Ask Dad for permission; he's minding the store while Mom's away. This expression transfers looking after an actual business to more general activities. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

Foreign adversaries looking to take advantage of the anticipated personnel changes will find America’s tech leaders carefully planning to mind the store to prevent any vulnerabilities.

From Washington Times • Aug. 18, 2023

His mother worked 90 or more hours a week and taught her children to mind the store in her absence.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2015

What few tenured academics remain are handed just enough disproportionate power to maintain just enough acrimony that everybody is too busy being at each other’s throats to mind the store.

From Slate • Jun. 17, 2015

Mr. Han and his wife, Jenny, still mind the store — ice cream to the left, tomatoes and apples by the door.

From New York Times • Jun. 2, 2011

Papi has said we have to stay and mind the store.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• attend
• nurse
• nurture
• protect
• tend
• watch