Chapter II
Act II: The Stranger and Patrolman Wells’s Letter
Going to call time on him sharp?” “I should say not!” said the other. “I’ll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time. So long, officer.”
After Twenty Years
Chapter II · Act II: The Stranger and Patrolman Wells’s Letter
Going to call time on him sharp?”
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
Going
to
call
time
on
him
sharp?”
“I
should
say
not!”
said
the
other.
“I’ll
give
him
half
an
hour
at
least.
If
Jimmy
is
alive
on
earth
he’ll
be
here
by
that
time.
So
long,
officer.”
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
After Twenty Years
Chapter II · Act II: The Stranger and Patrolman Wells’s Letter
Reading 1/10 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
Going
to
call
time
on
him
sharp?”
Line 2
“I
should
say
not!”
said
the
other.
Line 3
“I’ll
give
him
half
an
hour
at
least.
Line 4
If
Jimmy
is
alive
on
earth
he’ll
be
here
by
that
time.
Line 5
So
long,
officer.”
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
call
noun
US /kɔːɫ/
A telephone conversation.
From this reading “Going to call time on him sharp?””
least
noun
US /list/
Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit.
From this reading ““I’ll give him half an hour at least.”
sharp
noun
US /ʃɑːp/
The symbol ♯, placed after the name of a note in the key signature or before a note on the staff to indicate that the note is to be played a semitone higher.
From this reading “Going to call time on him sharp?””
All words in this reading · 34
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
alive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “I’ll give him half an hour at least.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I’ll give him half an hour at least.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
callnounUS /kɔːɫ/
A telephone conversation.
From this reading Going to call time on him sharp?”
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ll give him half an hour at least.
Going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going to call time on him sharp?”
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I’ll give him half an hour at least.
he'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Going to call time on him sharp?”
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ll give him half an hour at least.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I should say not!” said the other.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ll give him half an hour at least.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
Jimmy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
leastnounUS /list/
Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit.
From this reading “I’ll give him half an hour at least.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So long, officer.”
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “I should say not!” said the other.
officer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So long, officer.”
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Going to call time on him sharp?”
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I should say not!” said the other.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I should say not!” said the other.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I should say not!” said the other.
sharpnounUS /ʃɑːp/
The symbol ♯, placed after the name of a note in the key signature or before a note on the staff to indicate that the note is to be played a semitone higher.
From this reading Going to call time on him sharp?”
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “I should say not!” said the other.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So long, officer.”
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I should say not!” said the other.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Going to call time on him sharp?”
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Going to call time on him sharp?”
Chapter Quiz
How did 'Silky' Bob realize that the tall man was not his friend Jimmy Wells?
What is the famous surprise twist in Patrolman Jimmy Wells's letter?
What moral and psychological conflict forms the emotional core of 'After Twenty Years'?