Dictionary

breathing space en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Sufficient space or a span of time in which to recover one's breath.
   • He reeled, and on Herminius He leaned one breathing-space; Then, like a wild cat mad with wounds, Sprang right at Astur's face. 1842, Thomas Babbington Macaulay, Horatius, stanza 45:
2. (countable, uncountable) A rest, pause, or respite.
3. (countable, uncountable) Enough distance so that one can feel unfettered.
   • Martin Kelly then finished with power to provide some breathing space before Craig Dawson’s scored his fourth goal in five England Under-21 appearances with a looping header. 2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph:
   • Don't fret, in our division you get a lot of breathing space.
   • By this time the difference between first and third class accommodation had become nominal, and was measured in "breathing space" during peak hours rather than in quality. 1951 January, “The Inner Circle and its Rolling Stock”, in Railway Magazine, page 58:

Forms

Coordinates

legroom · elbow room · yardroom · headroom

Hypernyms

time · volume · room · space

Synonyms

breathing room · breathing spell · breathing while