Ps and Qs
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: p’s and q’s
Sense 1
to be careful with details and manners
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “Irreversible binomial” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29). Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Sense 2
particular points, precise behaviour; "mind your P’S and Q’S," be very careful. Originating, according to some, from the similarity of P’S and Q’S in the hornbook alphabet, and therefore the warning of an old dame to her pupils, or, according to others, of a French dancing-master to his pupils, to mind their pieds (feet) and queues (wigs) when bowing.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Ps and Qs” mean?
to be careful with details and manners Literally: letters of the alphabet
Is “Ps and Qs” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.