Download your p's and q's meaning

What is the origin of the phrase, mind your ps and qs. Ps and qs definition of ps and qs by the free dictionary. Pqs is listed in the worlds largest and most authoritative dictionary database of abbreviations and acronyms the free dictionary. It is sometimes written mind ones ps and qs though some feel that apostrophes are unnecessary in the plurals of. It comes from the days of early printers whose job was assembling individual metal letters into frames galleys in order to make up a pag. This is said to have arisen in the world of typesetting, where the letters p and q were easily confused. Synonyms for mind your ps and qs include behave, acquit, act, bear, carry, comport, conduct, demean, deport and quit. There are a lot of places where its easy to make a mistake. Pupils also had to mind the placement of the letters when writing the alphabet eg. They are also used to form contractions cant, wouldnt, which are rarely acceptable in scholarly writing, and the plurals of the letters of the alphabet ps and qs, three as. Likewise in todays parlance it is a warning to pay attention to anything in general. Some manors dont like me, they try and badmind me when kano comes to town all i say is minds right, and they lose the limelight when kano comes around some try screw me.

Likewise in today s parlance it is a warning to pay attention to anything in general. Ps and qs definition and meaning collins english dictionary. The exception is that you normally dont use apostrophes to make things plural, but you do use apostrophes to make. When youre working on this project, mind your ps and qs. On all occasions next the chair he stands for service of the mayor, and to instruct him how to use his as and bs, and ps and qs. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Change your default dictionary to american english. Collected via email, november 2002 at local taverns, pubs and bars, people drank from pint and quartsized containers. Ps and qs definition of ps and qs by merriamwebster. Sallys got very strict ideas about how her children should behave, so mind your ps and qs. There have been several theories posted on phrase finder about minding your ps and qs.

In this instance it is considered a warning to not get too drunk to pay your tab. There are other theories but as the faq points out, the most plausible might be the explanation given by the collins english dictionary. Mind your ps and qs meaning in the cambridge english. There is no need for the apostrophe on either the p or the q. To mind ones ps and qs is an english phrase meaning to mind ones manners, or, generally, to be careful of ones behaviour. Oed 3rd edition 2007 says that the origin of the phrase is unknown and states that a common suggestion is that the phrase originates with the distinction of the minuscule letters p and q in either the schoolroom or the printingoffice, but goes on to say that the chronology of the senses argues against this. For example for ps, theres a tendency to pronounce it as pis instead of pi. Pqs is listed in the world s largest and most authoritative dictionary database of abbreviations and acronyms. Mind ones ps and qs definition of mind ones ps and. This expression may originally have been a warning to children not to confuse p s and q s when learning the alphabet. Ps and qs definition is something such as ones manners that one should be mindful of. Mind your ps and qs definition and meaning collins.

There are multiple delightful and unproven theories about the origin of the phrase mind your ps and qs. What does the phrase mind your ps and qs mean and what. Oed 3rd edition 2007 says that the origin of the phrase is unknown and states that a common suggestion is that the phrase originates with the distinction of the minuscule letters p and q in either the schoolroom or the printingoffice, but goes on to say that the chronology of the. It is sometimes written mind ones ps and qs though some feel that apostrophes are unnecessary in the plurals of capital letters, or mind ones ps and qs. Whats the origin of the expression mind your ps and qs. Francis grose, in his 1785 edition of the dictionary of the vulgar tongue, defines it like this. According to the oxford english dictionary, to be p and q was a regional expression meaning top quality. P s and q s definition is something such as one s manners that one should be mindful of. Go to the downloads page for flash tool, system image downloads, and complete flashing instructions. This started in your country, when measures of beer were marked on a slate before payment. Anyone who has worked as a printers devil knows the answer to the origin and meaning of the elderly term, mind your ps and qs. Henkle in educational notes and queries in 1876, in this case the proper spelling of the phrase should be note your p s and q s, because the distinction of majuscule p and q does not pose a problem. The term is actually correctly stated as mind your p s and q s.

The conclusion must be that this is the true origin. It is parental baby talk, mimicking the childs simplification of consonant groups in please and simply contracting in thankyou, which latter the plays of bernard shaw for example render simply as kew. This expression probably refers to the p in please and the pronunciation of thank you which sounds like q. The abbreviation spqr means, in english, the senate and the roman people or the senate and the people of rome, but what exactly those four letters s, p, q, and r stand for in latin is a little less clear. When youve got a set of jumbled up letters that you need to solve, our free word unscrambler is the perfect online tool. Word finders free word unscrambler allows you to find the best cheats and highest scoring words for scrabble, words with friends, and all of your other favorite word games. Only one clear origin mind your ps and qs meaning mind your manners is quite obviously from mind your pleases and thankyous. The first is in a poem by charles churchill, published in 1763. View american english definition of mind your ps and qs.

Mind your ps and qs is a phrase used to children to remind them to be on their best behaviour. She always minded her ps and qs in front of the queen, but their relationship wasnt that close. The admonition to mind your ps and qs means to pay attention and take care, particularly to be polite. The expression is mind your ps and qs or mind ones ps and qs. Sep 16, 2012 the admonition to mind your ps and qs means to pay attention and take care, particularly to be polite. Phrases posted by robin jones on september 14, 2000.

Some manors dont like me, they try and badmind me when kano comes to town all i say is minds right, and they lose the limelight when kano. A principle function of apostrophes is to indicate possession. The term is actually correctly stated as mind your ps and qs. If you mind your p s and q s or watch your p s and q s, you try to speak and behave politely. The ced says that it is an alteration of the expression, mind your please s and thank you s. Since the letters in the press were reversed so theyd print forward, the printmaker or typographer needed to be careful not to confuse one letter for the other. Jun, 2010 the etymology of the phrase mind your p s and q s. Mind ones ps and qs definition of mind ones ps and qs. The ced says that it is an alteration of the expression, mind your pleases and thank yous. This expression may originally have been a warning to children not to confuse ps and qs when learning the alphabet. Reminding someone to watch his ps and qs means to pay attention to the details.

The origin of the printing process using moveable type around mid 16th century was made possible by using individual molded glyphs that were the mirrorimage of the desired. An even dumber variation of this involves pieds, french for feet, and says minding your ps and qs means combing your hair and polishing your shoes, or something like that. Be sure to mind your ps and qs when you visit the parliamentarian next week. If you mind your ps and qs or watch your ps and qs, you try to speak and behave politely. You can choose to revert to a production build at any time. Looking for online definition of pqs or what pqs stands for. Mind ones ps and qs definition is to be careful about behaving in a polite or proper way. Synonyms for mind your p s and q s include be good, behave, do the right thing, keep out of mischief, obey the rules and toe the line. Mind one s p s and q s definition is to be careful about behaving in a polite or proper way. A much less wellknown explanation suggests that your ps and qs. Jun 18, 2015 how to write ps and qs if youve ever been to one of my book signings, its very likely that i wrote mind your ps and qs, in your book. This is the british english definition of mind your ps and qs.

Still drinkin water on yall niggas, man with perfect pitch im singing free my niggas polished and purposeful hes. What does the phrase mind your ps and qs mean and what is. I must preface my remarks on the origin of the term with brief background. Mind your ps and qs is an english language expression meaning mind your manners, mind your language, be on your best behaviour, watch what youre. My favorite is that bartenders used to shout it during fights to tell people to watch their pints and quarts, but the oxford english dictionary says that particular origin story can be neither substantiated or dismissed. Apr 30, 2008 to mind ones ps and qs is an english phrase meaning to mind ones manners, or, generally, to be careful of ones behaviour. Synonyms for mind your p s and q s include behave, acquit, act, bear, carry, comport, conduct, demean, deport and quit. In this paper, we define and discuss \mathcalrp,q deformations of basic univariate discrete distributions of the probability theory. Definition and synonyms of mind your ps and qs from the online english dictionary from macmillan education.

Watch your ps and qs idioms by the free dictionary. Word unscrambler quickly unscramble words and letters. Synonyms for mind your ps and qs include be good, behave, do the right thing, keep out of mischief, obey the rules and toe the line. Back in the early days of printing presses, each line of text had to be set up one letter at a time.