p's and q's
noun
manners; behavior; conduct (usually preceded by mind or watch): The children were told to mind their p's and q's.
Origin of p's and q's
1First recorded in 1770–80; perhaps from some children's difficulty in distinguishing the two letters
Words Nearby p's and q's
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for p's and q's
p's and q's
pl n
behaviour within social conventions; manners (esp in the phrase to mind one's p's and q's)
Origin of p's and q's
1altered from p (lea) se and (than) k-you's
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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