In the fullness of time

Question

HiWould you say that the use of the undelined idiom is OK here?Why don't you call her now?I will call her in the fullness of time. ...and does it mean: I'll call her when it's appropriate to call her.Thanks for your time,Tom

YoungBuddy · Accepted Answer

Fullness of Time is an idiom, If something happens in the fullness of time, it will happen when the time is right and appropriate.

Mr. TomWhy don't you call her now?

I will call her in the fullness of time.

I think it is OK to say so, as if you are saying " I will call her when the fullness of time comes ".

Yankee · Answer

Hi Tom,

That is not an idiom that I'm familiar with. I don't hear people use it in my neck of the woods. I'm not sure whether or where it might be used in the US. I don't hear it in my area, and I don't use it myself.

If I heard someone use it, it is quite likely that I would not understand precisely what the person meant. In other words, I'm not sure I'd understand that the speaker wanted to indicate the idea of "appropriate".

The example you posted only sounds odd to me. I have verified that the idiom exists, but since I don't use it myself, I can't say whether or not it would be a "typical" way of using it for people who do use it.

There are quite a few "time" expressions in English, but that is not one I hear.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the example that YoungBuddy gave, I'd simply say this:

"I'll call her when the time comes."

For me, that basically means "I'll call her when the time is right/appropriate."

In the fullness of time

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions