in the pipeline = in preparation?

in the pipeline = in preparation?
Could be in any of the various stages of preparation, research or trial stages.

Thanks

I don't agree with that, exactly.

"In the pipeline" means pre-delivery, in production, something like that. Not research imho.

We in the USA may have a broader definition of "pipeline''.

As soon as any project is begun, even in the earliest research phase, it's considered "in the pipeline".

Joe(so, how's by you?)Nation

I don't think that's a US thing. The phrase "in the pipeline" is an idiomatic one with a loose meaning. In the US or elsewhere it can mean "possibly on the way maybe" or "definitely coming" or something in between.

Oh, I'm sure you're right, contrex, but I was only reporting on the English I know, that which is spoken in these United States. I would never try to guess what the speakers of English elsewhere, and there are so many versions of English worldwide, might or might not use.

Two of my best friends speak English as a second language. They both speak Spanish, but one is from Spain near the Pyrenees and the other is from the mountains of Peru. It's really fun to hear them argue in English about what the Spanish is for something. Not what is proper, (that's always useless) but what words are used.

We should have that kind of discussion here amongst the speakers of the multitudinous varieties of English.

Joe(later)Nation