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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:
1770–80; perhaps from some children's difficulty in distinguishing the two letters

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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P's and q's is always a great word to know.

So is ort. Does it mean:

a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

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)

[altered from p(lea)se and (than)k-you's]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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