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In English, if a person states, "a certain event will occur by a" particular "period of time" then does that mean that said event will occur any time within said "period of time" or does it mean that the even will occur the very instant that said "period of time" starts?

Let me elaborate,

If someone says, a construction company states that they promise to complete building the house by August, 2021 then does that mean that if the construction company still completes the house by 31-August-2021 at 23:59:59... then they have still kept their promise?

Or does it mean that the construction company will have to complete it by 30-July-2021 at 23:59:59... in order to keep the promise?

crazyTech
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    It's ambiguous, but I think it's usually interpreted generously to mean the end of the period. – Barmar Aug 10 '21 at 20:52
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    In cases where it's critical to determine if the promise has been met, such as a contract, more specific language is usually used. – Barmar Aug 10 '21 at 20:52
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    By August means up to the time when the month of August begins. By August 1st, means up to time August st begins, i.e. the second after midnight on July 31. – Lambie Aug 10 '21 at 21:55
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    If you need to know this, see a lawyer. – John Lawler Aug 10 '21 at 22:07
  • @lambie Isn't a second after midnight on July 31 still July 31? Midnight (12:00 am) is the beginning of the new day. Did you actually mean to write midnight itself is August 1? – crazyTech Aug 10 '21 at 23:03
  • @crazyTech Doesn't one second after midnight on July 31st signal the beginning of August??? – Lambie Aug 10 '21 at 23:14
  • @lambie It's debatable. "Midnight marks the beginning and ending of each day in civil time throughout the world. As the dividing point between one day and another, midnight defies easy classification as either part of the preceding day or of the following day. Though there is no global unanimity on the issue, most often midnight is considered the start of a new day and is associated with the hour 00:00. Even in locales with this technical resolution, however, vernacular references to midnight as the end of any given day may be common" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight – crazyTech Aug 10 '21 at 23:19
  • @crazyTech Okay: 00:00 is midnight. So: 00.01 is the next second. Isn't that the beginning of the next day? If it isn't, what is? How do you say it? I am trying to say that JULY 31st at 12 midnight PLUS ONE second is where August begins and July ends. No, midnight itself is not August 1. The next second makes it August first. Geesus. – Lambie Aug 10 '21 at 23:21
  • @lambie In the Wikipedia page ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight ) , it says "....As the dividing point between one day and another, midnight defies easy classification as either part of the preceding day or of the following day..... – crazyTech Aug 10 '21 at 23:27

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