|pēz ə n|kyüz noun plural
: something (as one's manners) about which one ought to be careful or circumspect : best behavior — usually used with mind or watch
exhorting the older democracies to mind their p's and q's — A.S.Bokhari
just better watch his p's and q's when I get a six-gun of my own — Jean Stafford
being on her p's and q's for two solid days was too much for her — Guy McCrone