P'S AND Q'S


Meaning of P'S AND Q'S in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˌpēz- ə n-ˈkyüz ]

noun plural

Etymology: from the phrase mind one's p's and q's, alluding to the difficulty a child learning to write has in distinguishing between p and q

Date: 1779

1. : something (as one's manners) that one should be mindful of

better watch his p's and q's when I get a six-gun of my own — Jean Stafford

2. : best behavior

being on her p's and q's for two solid days was too much — Guy McCrone

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.