What does Mind your P's and Q's mean?

Answer 1

This expression, meaning "be very careful to behave correctly",
has been in use from the 17th century on. Theories include: an
admonishment to children learning to write; an admonishment to
typesetters (who had to look at the letters reversed); an
admonishment to seamen not to soil their navy pea-jackets with
their tarred "queues" (pigtails); "mind your pints and quarts";
"mind your prices and quality"; "mind your pieds and queues"
(either feet and pigtails, or two dancing figures that had to be
accurately performed); the substitution of /p/ for "qu" /kw/ in the
speech of uneducated ancient Romans; or the confusion by students
learning both Latin and Ancient Greek of such cognates as _pente_
and _quintus_. And yes, we've heard the joke about the instruction
to new sextons: "Mind your keys and pews."

The most plausible explanation is the one given in the latest
edition of Collins English Dictionary: an alteration of "Mind
your 'please's and 'thank you's".

Answer 2

There are few of us who at one time or another have not been admonished to "mind our P's and Q's," or in other words, to behave our best. Oddly enough, "mind your P's and Q's" had nautical beginnings as a method of keeping books on the waterfront.

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."

Answer 3

There's two folk etymologies for the phrase, either one works, though.
The first comes from the fact that the lower case letters "p" and "q" are quite similar, and mistakable along the same lines as the lower case "b" and "d".
The second states that "Ps and Qs" is a truncation of "please" and "thank you". To understand the latter, imagine a small child saying it in a shy tone, very quickly: "thank you" can quite easily become "an-Q" and its a short step to "Q".
Either way, it's an admonishment to pay attention to the little things in order to be on your best behavior.

Answer 4

I looked in Emily Post's "Etiquette" book published in 1956, and I believe the P stands for proprieties (or good manners) in adherence to , protocol, punctuality, decency, respect for others, and generally, acting with respect and kindness for others in acceptable manner according to the accepted etiquette for the occasion. The "Q" I could not find a meaning for, so I think it must stand for Etiquette. Thus, the reason for the book. If you are not sure of how to act in a certain circumstance, the book is always an excellent reference.

Answer 5

It means to behave yourself. Thought to come from english pubs where beer is served in pints and quarts. When a fight would break out, the bartender would yell "mind your pints and quarts".

Answer 6

It means watch your Pleases and thank Q's

No i'm pretty sure the person who wrote "It is an old English expression referring to Pints and Quarts. Don;t drink so much you can't behave basically." is right.

Answer 7

it goes back to england when these guys started fighting in a pub & the bartender told them to mind their pints & quarts(of beer). basically, it means to be on ur best behavior & watch what u say.

Answer 8

It orginated in bars. It meant "mind your pints and quarts" but today it means "mind your manners", least thats what I get from it.

Answer 9

its an old irish term meaning mind your Pints and Quarts....this was yelled out by bar maids in irish pubs at last call...
in modern terms, it means mind your own business.

Answer 10

Mind your own business.