2006-08-14 16:43:38 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It means "pints and quarts"...It originates from old English Pub's method of tallying bar tabs, by using pints and quarts. So, if a person minded their 'own' p's & q's' they were minding their own business!
2006-08-14 16:48:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Mind your own business! This saying is believed to come from an earlier day somewhere in the United Kingdom. Literally means mind your own "Pints & Quarts", a term used perhaps in an English Pub. =PandaPaw=
2006-08-15 00:22:19 · answer #2 · answered by PandaPaw 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It basically means to pay attention to detail. Back in the days when printing presses were in use, a person who set the type for a page had to be careful when looking at the letters. Lowercase p and q are very similar, and if one is working quickly the two can become confused - resulting in a typo.
Also, there is a nautical reference:
In the days of sail when Sailors were paid a pittance, seamen drank their ale in taverns whose keepers were willing to extend credit until payday. Since many salts were illiterate, keepers kept a tally of pints and quarts consumed by each Sailor on a chalkboard behind the bar. Next to each person's name, a mark was made under "P" for pint or "Q" for quart whenever a seaman ordered another draught. On payday, each seaman was liable for each mark next to his name, so he was forced to "mind his P's and Q's" or he would get into financial trouble. To ensure an accurate count by unscrupulous keepers, Sailors had to keep their wits and remain somewhat sober. Sobriety usually ensured good behavior, hence the meaning of "mind your P's and Q's."
2006-08-14 23:49:57 · answer #3 · answered by Dave 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's an old saying that stands for "pints and quarts". It came from tending patrons at the local taverns, making sure everyone has a full glass. Now it is a little different, but that is where it came from.
2006-08-14 23:51:48 · answer #4 · answered by biggupp (דוד) 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It comes from pints and quarts, which is how beer was served in the old days. It just means drink your drink and mind your own business.
2006-08-14 23:49:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Generally Mind your P's and Q's is used in the context of "mind your own business"
No one knows for certain the origin, but it was first recorded in 1779,
Here's an article:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/psandqs.htm
2006-08-14 23:54:34 · answer #6 · answered by tcindie 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It means to mind your own business. It originates from England, where they sell beer in pints and quarts. Back in the day, if people started getting rowdy, the bartenders would tell them to mind their own pints and quarts, which was then shortened to p's and q's.
2006-08-14 23:49:39 · answer #7 · answered by The Apple Chick 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
okokok It comes from olde england and colonial taverns where ale was served in two sizes, Pints and Quarts. The beer whenches had to mind their Ps and Qs so they could know who was drinking what size.
2006-08-14 23:50:16 · answer #8 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The saying is "mind your p's and q's". It originates in printing where the printers had to pick the letters out of a tray and place them in the press. The p's and q's are difficult to place in the correct way. They are easy to confuse.
2006-08-14 23:50:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Mind your ps and qs means to watch out, take care, be careful.
2006-08-15 18:24:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋