dot the i's and cross the t's
To take care of every detail, even minor ones; to be meticulous or thorough; to finish off something close to complete.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Please dot the i's and cross the t's on this form.”
“Before we sign the contract, we need to dot the i's and cross the t's to ensure everything is correct.”
“The event planner spent all morning dotting the i's and crossing the t's by checking the seating charts and confirming the catering delivery one last time.”
“The lawyer spent the entire afternoon reviewing the merger documents to dot the i's and cross the t's before the final presentation to the board.”
disputed origin
The expression originates from the mechanics of cursive handwriting, where the dotting of the letter i and the crossing of the letter t are final actions performed after the hand has already completed the word. These minor additions are easily omitted by a writer in haste.
The phrase is probably a reference to the meticulous nature of such finishing touches. It suggests a level of precision where even the smallest strokes of the pen are accounted for, ensuring that a lapse in attention does not leave the text unfinished or the letters ambiguous.
- 01
come home by weeping cross
To return in disappointment, or in a spirit of contrition.
- 02
connect the dots
To make connections in one's mind, in order to arrive at a more holistic understanding of a situation.
- 03
cross my heart
A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.
- 04
cross my heart and hope to die
Added to a promise or a statement to show how serious one was about being honest in what one said
- 05
cross of gold
A public policy which puts the interests of the rich ahead of those of the poor.
- 06
cross off
To strike out; to cross out; to draw a line through.
- 07
cross out
To strike out (something); to draw a line through (something).
- 08
cross paths
To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys; to encounter or meet each other.
Last updated August 10, 2026