| breathing space | |
| —n | |
| 1. | enough area to permit freedom of movement: the country gives us some breathing space |
| 2. | a pause for rest, etc: a coffee break was their only breathing space |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
breathing space
Room or time in which to breathe, as in In that crowded hall, there was hardly any breathing space. Previously this term was put as . [Mid-1600s]
A rest or pause. For example, I can't work at this all day; I need some breathing space. This usage replaced the earlier breathing while. [Mid-1600s]