P and q. To be p and q, verb. phr. (old colloquial).—To be of the first quality, or good measure.
1612. Rowlands, Knaue of Harts, 20 (Hunterian Club's Repr.). Boy y'are a villaine, didst thou fill this Sacke? Tis flat you Rascall, thou hast plaid the Iacke, Bring in a quart of Maligo, right true: And looke, you Rogue, that it be Pee and Kew.
To mind one's p's and q's, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be careful or circumspect in behaviour; to be exact. [Of uncertain origin; amongst suggested derivations are (1) the difficulty experienced by children in distinguishing between 'p' and 'q'; and (2) the old custom of alehouse tally, marking 'p' for pint, and 'q' for quart, care being necessary to avoid over- or under-charge. Probably both, in combination with the phrase to be p and q (q.v.), have helped to popularise the expression].—Grose (1785).
1779. Cowley, Who's the Dupe? i. 1. You must mind your P's and Q's with him, I can tell you.
1821. Egan, Life in London, v. I must once more remind you, my dear Jerry, said Tom, that we must be on our P's and Q's.
1826. Buckstone, Luke the Labourer, iii. 1. Now, lad, mind thy P's and Q's, and you're a made man!
1840. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends Wedding-day). Gently! gently, Miss Muse! Mind your P's and your Q's!
1861. Trollops, Framley Parsonage, xlv. But the Archdeacon was not quite at ease. Keep Dumbello up to his P's and Q's, you know, a friend had whispered to him at his club.
1864. Essays on Social Subjects [Saturday Review, 265.] A chiel's among us takin' notes. Virtue is put upon its p's and q's.
1881. James, Washington Square, xix. He hoped very much that, as regarded this affair of Catherine's, she would mind her p's and q's.
1892. Fenn, New Mistress, xxxv. If you don't mind your p's and q's. You hold your tongue.
1894. Moore, Esther Waters, i. My mother's the cook here; you'll have to mind your p's and q's or else you'll be dropped on.
1896. Cotsford Dick, Ways of World, 25. Thus our letters we learn, with their P's and their Q's, From some pseudonym sexual transgressions.
Pac, subs. (back-slang).—A cap.
Pace. To go the pace, verb. phr.
(common).—To live a fast life;
to be extravagant.
c.1710. Steele, Tatler [Slang, Jargon and Cant]. He is the son of a famous racing man, who went the pace, and cut his throat in Newmarket.
1869. Daily News, 8 Nov. 'Leader.' Going the pace and taking a cropper are gradually being admitted into small talk.
1890. Lic. Vict. Gaz., 5 Dec. Fresh from Oxford Arthur had been going the pace.
Alderman's pace, subs. phr. (common).—A slow and stately gait. Fr. pas d'Abbé.
1611. Cotgrave, Dict., s.v. Abbe. Alderman's pace a leasurely walking, slow gate.
