p's and q's

See synonyms for p's and q's on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. 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

1
First 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. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for p's and q's

p's and q's

pl n
  1. 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

1
altered 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