0
Curious Reader Posted 4 years ago
Grammar

Meaning of "This is your quarter"?

Hello everyone. I am reading a novel, and I came across this expression. Could you please let me know its meaning?


All I had meant to ask her was whether she was up to talking. As always, she’d read the real meaning behind my question.

“What did you want to talk about?” Her equivalent of This is your quarter; speak. She was giving me an exceptional but necessarily brief audience. So many seconds, but not an instant more. Always with the meter running.

“I was going to say—” But I didn’t know what I was going to say and couldn’t think that fast. “I just wish we were a week ago. I wish we were still at the party and had never left and were trapped there forever.”


- André Aciman, Eight White Nights, Eight Night

This is a novel published in the United States of America in 2010. This novel is narrated by the nameless male protagonist who meets Clara at a Christmas party in Manhattan. The protagonist is now talking with Clara.


In this part, I wonder what the underlined expression means.


I looked "quarter" up in the dictionary, but there are so many meanings for "quarter" to choose from, so I am confused. My wild guess is that it might be "This is mercy (opportunity?) I give to you; so speak", but I am not sure.

Thank you very much for your help.

  

Top answer

Curious Reader In this part, I wonder what the underlined expression means. " A pay telephone used to cost a dime for a local call. "It's your dime" means that you have the floor.

— Anonymous

  • Curious Reader In this part, I wonder what the underlined expression means.
  • " A pay telephone used to cost a dime for a local call.
  • "It's your dime" means that you have the floor.
  • I didn't get "quarter" at first, either, especially because " this is your X" is not idiomatic.
  • Why are you reading this guy?
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

2 Answers
0
Curious ReaderIn this part, I wonder what the underlined expression means.

I believe the original expression was "It's your dime." A pay telephone used to cost a dime for a local call. "It's your dime" means that you have the floor.

I didn't get "quarter" at first, either, especially because "this is your X" is not idiomatic. Why are you

0
0
Curious Reader“What did you want to talk about?” Her equivalent of This is your quarter; speak.

It's hard to guess without more context, but I suppose he means:

This is your area of expertise. / This is a something you are very familiar with, so speak up.

0

Related Questions