IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishdot the i's and cross the t's
Meaning: To be very careful and attentive to detail.
Example: “Before we sign the contract, let's dot the i's and cross the t's.”
Equivalents in other languages
Portuguese: pôr os pontos nos is Literally: To put the dots on the i's
Origin: In handwriting, it is easy to leave out the dot on an i or the cross stroke on a t, especially in joined-up script, so careful writers went back to add them. The phrase for attention to every detail is recorded from the 19th century.
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