dot the i's and cross the t's

present singular third person dots the i's and crosses the t's · participle present dotting the i's and crossing the t's · participle past dotted the i's and crossed the t's · past dotted the i's and crossed the t's · alternative dot the i's · alternative dot one's i's and cross one's t's · alternative cross the t's and dot the i's · alternative cross the i's and dot the t's

1. idiomaticTo take care of every detail, even minor ones; to be meticulous or thorough; to finish off something close to complete.

   Before taking the project to the CEO, let's make sure we dot the i's and cross the t's.

   1 more example

   1858, United States Congress, Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, D. Appleton, page 387; from a January 1820 debate Pray, sir, what is the object of referring a bill to a committee —merely to dot the i's and cross the t's?