In time

English translation: in due course

09:57 Jan 14, 2021
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Other
English term or phrase: In time
"So Stephen was going to do the work as the person in charge in time, as he showed the council the things that he had done before he got hired."


I feel like what the author meant with the phrase "in time" here is: "when Stephen was the person in charge at that time", but still, this is not the definition of the phrase in any dictionary; "in time" simply doesn't mean "at that time"; so do you think it's bad language on the author's part, or did he mean something else?

Please note:
- The original sentence is different but I've censored it.
- The author's usage of English is not the best sometimes, perhaps due to the fact that this is mostly a transcription of a spontaneous speech.
- The author is American.
Mina Fayek
Local time: 16:31
Selected answer:in due course
Explanation:
when he got round to it

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Note added at 18 hrs (2021-01-15 04:25:43 GMT)
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the English is badly constructed in terms of word order but "in time" is a perfectly acceptable way of saying "when time allows" i.e. when the opportunity arises or more idiomatically "when I get round to it"

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Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:25:38 GMT)
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Also, in due course of time; in due time; in time; all in good time. For example, In due course we'll discuss the details of this arrangement, or In due time the defense will present new evidence, or You'll learn the program in time, or We'll come up with a solution, all in good time. ...

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Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:26:17 GMT)
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https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/in due course of time#:...

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Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:27:51 GMT)
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definitely doesn't mean "just in time" and "on the right time" isn't English

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Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:28:37 GMT)
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good luck and stay safe
Selected response from:

David Hollywood
Local time: 11:31
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2in due course
David Hollywood
4 +1within the allocated time
Tabassom Mohammadi
4this time
Nicholas Laurier Eveneshen
4at the time
Peter Simon
3on time
Sarah Maidstone


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
this time


Explanation:
Spontaneous but intuitive answer based on the context you give.

Nicholas Laurier Eveneshen
Portugal
Local time: 15:31
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
within the allocated time


Explanation:
With reference to Longman dictionary in time means: before the time by which it is necessary for something to be done.

Tabassom Mohammadi
Iran
Local time: 18:01
Native speaker of: Native in Persian (Farsi)Persian (Farsi)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Claudia Sander
6 hrs

neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: this is not idiomatic or correct in this sentence as given to us
14 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
on time


Explanation:
It was possibly incorrectly transcribed, or correctly transcribed, in both cases meaning that the work would be done by the given deadline (giving references of previous work would show that he is likely to be able to achieve this).

Sarah Maidstone
Germany
Local time: 16:31
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
in time
at the time


Explanation:
I'm quite sure 'in time' was a mistake - none of its normal meanings make sense here. However. context tells me the author just wanted to refer to what Stephen was going to do as he was the person in charge at the (=that) time, at the time before he got hired or between any two points of time but right when he was in charge.

Peter Simon
Netherlands
Local time: 16:31
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian
PRO pts in category: 4
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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
in time
in due course


Explanation:
when he got round to it

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2021-01-15 04:25:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

the English is badly constructed in terms of word order but "in time" is a perfectly acceptable way of saying "when time allows" i.e. when the opportunity arises or more idiomatically "when I get round to it"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:25:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Also, in due course of time; in due time; in time; all in good time. For example, In due course we'll discuss the details of this arrangement, or In due time the defense will present new evidence, or You'll learn the program in time, or We'll come up with a solution, all in good time. ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:26:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/in due course of time#:...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:27:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

definitely doesn't mean "just in time" and "on the right time" isn't English

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 18 hrs (2021-01-18 04:28:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

good luck and stay safe

David Hollywood
Local time: 11:31
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 32
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hello, thanks for your suggestion. I'm interested to know if you can back it up with a reference, and if you think this (in the context) could be another way of saying "just in time" or "on the right time".


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  WAN FATIN NUR AMIRA WAN RUSLI: i believe this is quite accurate
6 hrs
  -> thank you Wan

agree  Swift Translation
1 day 11 hrs
  -> thank you whole grain

neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: very high CL for a guess, all that's posssible here when Asker doesn't clarify context
3 days 9 hrs
  -> true Yvonne but can't see what else it could be so CL 3 plus
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