| breath of fresh air | |
noun | |
| a welcome relief; "the new management was like a breath of fresh air" |
breath of fresh air
New and refreshing, as in His arrival was like a breath of fresh air. This term transfers the idea of fresh air to a new approach or welcome arrival, and has largely replaced both the earlier breath of heaven and breath of spring, although the latter is still heard occasionally. [Mid-1800s]