what does the saying " stay on your P's & Q's" mean?

Answer 1

I think you mean "MINDING your p's and q's". It originates in British pubs, where they used to write down when a pint or quart was ordered on a little black board, and they indicated either a pint or quart with either a 'p' or 'q'. This could create some confusion, and the p's and q's could get mixed up. Therefor, 'minding your p's and q's' means keeping track of what you're doing.

Answer 2

The word is likewise "strategies your playstation and Qs" unique meaning has been lost, yet there are countless theories, beginning from "pints and quarts" interior the bartender's money owed, to infants puzzling the two letters in getting to grasp the alphabet, to the French dancing grasp's pieds and queues, figures that would desire to be wisely finished. The term became used from the 17th century on yet would now be obsolescent.

Answer 3

In English pubs the men would play darts or just hang out. Every time they would have a pint or a quart of alcohol a P or a Q would be marked on the chalk board. The men would pay up at the end of the evening. So you needed to mind your P's and Q's.

Answer 4

It's an Irish Pub saying that started when the patrons started to get drunk and rowdy, the barman would yell out to "Mind your Pints and Quarts!" Basically saying " Just drink your damn beer and settle down!"

It was later shortened to "Mind your P's & Q's" or "Stay your P's and Q's" to relate to simply settling down and behaving ones self.

Answer 5

In English pubs, ale was ordered by pints and quarts. So, in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts and settle down.

(I found this on a site somewhere, but I forgot where. Don't know how true it is, but it makes since)

Answer 6

my personal theory is that it stems from the old days when education meant you had to study logic as a basic requirement to help you to think straight.
in math they always use X and Y for the unknown factors
but in the math of logic( boolean algebra) they always use P and Q.
so if you were to properly mind your Ps and Qs, you would always be thinking straight and not get fooled by bombast or emotion or flim flam or faulty logic. this is the goal of education of the young mind.

However, I later learned another explanation for the Ps and Qs thing. the sad part is I cannot remember it so i will watch to see if somebody else here mentions it. fun question

Answer 7

Actually the saying is "mind your P's and Q's" and back in the day beer used to be sold in pints and quarts- when the patrons of the bar used to get too rowdy the bartender would say this.

Answer 8

Ps & Qs are short for Pints and Quarts, which were once commonly the size of beer mugs in pubs. You want to mind them, or at least the pub owner wants them minded, so as not to have a trashed pub.

Answer 9

it's actually "mind your p's and q's"
it's reference to the fact that English pubs sold ale in pints and quarts. drink too many and you got sloppy. so it's really just saying "try to stay sober and keep your wits about you. no one likes the loud guy on the bar with the lampshade on his head."

Answer 10

Just like crossing your t's and dotting your i's. Stay on top of things, dont forget to to stay on your P's and Q's bc something might be misconstrued if it isnt diligently looked over...