What does the term "mind your P's and Q's" come from and what does it mean?
79887
Comes from the early pub days when beer and ale was served in pint and quart containers. The tab was kept on a chalkboard used to count the pints and quarts consumed. To watch your Ps and Qs is to control your alcoholic intake and behavior. \nThanks to Dennis Lampson \n\nNot only did pub keepers maintain the count of pints and quarts consumed, they often maintained a tab for regular customers, especially sailors. The sailors tab was sometimes paid directly out of the sailors pay by the ship's captain. This to assure the pub keeper of payment. \n\nHowever, this created the opportunity for the pub keeper to charge for a few extra pints and quarts. And in some cases the captain was in on this little deception, and shared in the extra payment. Hence it was to the sailors best interest to keep count of the pints and quarts. To mind his Ps and Qs. \n\nThanks to Neuticals \n\nAlternatively, \n\nLower case Ps and Qs look similar and can be mistaken for each other. When setting moveable type printing presses, "minding your Ps and Qs" is important.  \n\nSimilarly,  \n\nA person just learning how to write could easily confuse lower case Ps and Qs. Hence a need to be careful and "mind your Ps and Qs". \n\nThanks to Dan
81124
I assume you mean "paraphrase." It means to repeat something in your own words, usually to clarify the meaning.
10858
There are at least two possible origins, and both seem pretty believable:\n\nFirst: In the days of sailing ships when Sailors were paid a pittance, seamen drank their ale in taverns whose keepers were willing to extend credit until payday. Since many of he sailors were illiterate, inn 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. \n\nOn 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." \n\nSecond: "Mind your P's and Q's" is thought to have originated with printers who set headlines using movable type. If you've ever seen old type, you know the letters are mirror images of the regular alphabet. Lower-case P's look like Q's and vice versa. "Mind your P's and Q's" was a reminder not to mix up the letters when putting them back in the rack after use.
583894
This has it's origin with the military, and refers to information that is kept secret until individuals with clearance ask for information.\nNow it has filtered down into common language and refers to information kept from public discussion. Also, some just think they're cool if they say it!
917838
I think its a short hand way of saying "Be minded"  or remember :D
42839
The "Q" stands for "Quality". The link to where I found the full answer is below. Hey, ya learn something new everyday. Good question!
533512
It's a similar thing to saying think with your head not your heart. I think with my brain sometimes, and my heart others, and my tummy others.
488599
in normal tone, it means "It's up to you (you in plural form)"\n\nin sarcastic/angry mode, there is no exact translation but it's closer to "I don't care" and "mind your own business".\n\nit literally means "i don't know to you(pl.)"\n\nit's NOT Filipino, it's TAGALOG.
214816
This is a delightful British term that means doing your best to get on with it, despite the odds being stacked against you. It doesn't mean you're winging it, it means you're doing your best in a bad situation. or having a 'stiff upper lip' and steely resolve, which all us brits love to do!
335163
yup, back in the old days in pubs they used to have rowdy customers, so if the people used to drink too much they used to tell them to "mind their pints and quarts," which is how alcohol was served then. and it got shortened to ps and qs.
542017
1. They look like they mean to cause trouble.\n2. We're just plain folk.\n3. Don't worry about what others think.  Just be yourself.\n4. I have nothing without my mind.\n5. I really don't have a lot of self control.  :)
598477
a sentence worded or expressed so as to elicit information.\n\nIt comes from Latin - quaerere 'ask,seek'- through Old French then Middle English.
394791
I believe it comes form old english and means "man who hasn't seen his wife's beaver". I've seen this definition in a dictionary of old english (but they used a much stronger word in place of "beaver").\n\nAccording to the wicktionary another POSSIBLE source could be the latin phrase "non compos mentis" meaning: "not having sound mind".
594399
First get your p's and q's right
881022
Comes from "take the cake"\n\nCake: When someone takes the cake they are regarded as having come first in some, often trivial, activity or other. Most authorities consider that this saying goes back to the days of slavery in the USA. The slaves used to hold competitions to see which couple could produce the most elegant walk. The best promenaders won a prize, almost always a cake. The extravagant walk required for this type of competition came to be called a Cakewalk and this gave rise to the old fashioned expression "it's a cakewalk". However the meaning later came to emphasise the trivial nature of the competition and began to imply that the effort needed was minor and of little account. In consequence the modern saying "it's a piece of cake" could well be based on these old customs. \nThere is a much older possible origin, going back to the ancient Greeks. A "cake" in those times was a toasted cereal bound together with honey. It was given to the most vigilant man on night watch. Aristotle is quoted as having written in "The Knights": "if you surpass him in impudence, then we take the cake".
631176
=P is sticking your tongue out < ie: sarcasm, or to lick >\n   (eyes left, mouth, tongue right)\n=D is smiling with your mouth wide open \n\nLook at them left to right ... it's the old way of making smile faces we (anyone pre-internet) had to use before graphics... ahhh.. the BBS days... lol
763012
It means to say exactly what you mean without adding to it or trying to be tactful. Often said when someone is being blunt or rude.  But basically it means to get directly to the point instead of being polite about it.