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leeway

[lee-wey]

noun

extra time, space, materials, or the like, within which to operate; margin: With ten minutes' leeway we can catch the train.

a degree of freedom of action or thought: His instructions gave us plenty of leeway.

Also called sag. Nautical. the amount or angle of the drift of a ship to leeward from its heading.

Aeronautics. the amount a plane is blown off its normal course by cross winds.

Origin:
1660–70; lee¹ + way

Synonyms
2. latitude, flexibility, cushion.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To leeway

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Leeway is always a great word to know.

So is quincunx. Does it mean:

an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.

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Example Sentences

State-chartered credit unions have more leeway to invest in exotic instruments if their home states allow it.

Colleges and universities may have more leeway to interpret federal privacy law than their officials know.

Such leeway would make it easier for a female cuckoo to lay where she chose.

EXPAND

State-chartered credit unions have more leeway to invest in exotic instruments if their home states allow it.

Colleges and universities may have more leeway to interpret federal privacy law than their officials know.

Such leeway would make it easier for a female cuckoo to lay where she chose.

Apple has a good amount of leeway to introduce in-house computer chips to its ecosystem.

Internet companies have a worrisome leeway to use data they glean about the people who use their services.

But the government has a lot of leeway to screw it up.

The central banks that use such an approach usually have some leeway on this.

Soldiers typically don't have much sartorial leeway.

Texas also bars union shops, so school districts often have more leeway in managing teachers' work than elsewhere.

People with a good track record have more leeway than authors of first books.

Apple says it will give publishers more leeway to set e-book prices.

Give writers more incentive and leeway to shill for the commercial sugar daddies without sacrificing narrative.

Restrictions are tighter on larger planes, while there is more leeway for regional jets and turboprops.

But his bitter and suspicious party colleagues are not giving him such leeway.

It gives you that split second of leeway to flow into a better position if you catch yourself going wrong.

Individual business travelers say they now have more financial leeway when booking lodging.

His colleagues worry that he may not have the political leeway to compromise.

They've also got full bodywork, so the designers and engineers have more leeway in packaging components.

Such clinics would have leeway to decide what equipment was needed for the procedures they performed.

The markets also have some leeway for disappointment.

From the chip hackers' standpoint, the manufacturers' cautious approach to full-throttle calibrations leaves them some leeway.

The party seems intent on showing that it will allow no leeway to those dreaming of a people-power movement or democracy.

The laws of physics and the properties of aerodynamics give designers only so much leeway.

Next spring's budget will establish the financial leeway for extra spending after that.

Mom-and-pop stores have more leeway on discounts, especially if you're a regular customer.

It gives such firms leeway to put in keener bids for contracts where there is a chance of repeat business.

But those countries that have been virtuous over deficits will be reluctant to give leeway to the malefactors.

They will also gain more leeway to block and unblock benefits.

Buyers are finding more leeway to negotiate, and developers of new condos may be persuaded to throw in an extra or two.

Public univeristy professors have much more leeway in the area of acceptance of late work.

Thus, there is a need for ethical guidelines that allow less leeway for personal choice.

Your schedule will probably be set by the department for fall, but you will have a lot more leeway for spring.

Of course there's considerable leeway in this scenario, and you don't have to follow every step.

The franc will have more leeway in the exchange rate mechanism.

He deserves a lot of leeway to express his views as he's earned it thoroughly.

Give the geeks some leeway and they'll make you look good.

Matsch, calling him a weak man who gave too much leeway to the defense.

Keep unionization out of the university system and management will have the leeway to respond to challenges.

It is easy to see why this theme seems to be a metaphor for aspiration, but its leeway has led some far afield.

Minnesota law allows families and their doctors more leeway in deciding whether to cut off life support to the severely disabled.

The great weakness of the conventional approach is that it gives companies so little leeway in how they meet pollution targets.

The city got greater leeway to promote and fire teachers based on performance.

The zombies have been propped up by banks that were in turn given unjustified leeway by accommodating regulators.

Another reason is that the police give skateboarders leeway.

Sceptics wonder whether the hidebound ministry will give market forces the leeway it says it will.

Proponents say the move will give the city greater leeway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But the party also gives the army considerable leeway to manage its own affairs.

Each additional degree of seriousness adds a set number of months or years to the term, eliminating much of judges' leeway.

There are differences on the leeway the market is given in each state, but that is to be expected.

The narrative drive in each of the two main sections is strong enough in its particular way to give leeway to diversion.

So plenty of leeway is needed, but it does mean sometimes spending a lot of time at a particularly uninteresting aiport.

Congress gave covert agencies greater leeway to monitor international communications without direct court oversight.

Adequate leeway might be given for medication to prove itself for min population.

Hills, said he agreed that prosecutors had ample leeway in deciding what to do.

But the banks are likely to be given wide leeway in determining what risks to keep.

He said the ship had about one week's leeway before sea ice would make it impossible to continue.

But doing so would have locked him into a tight range of possible time behind bars, with no leeway to argue for less.

Network operators need reasonable leeway to manage their networks.

What they disagree on is how much leeway to give to foreign banks.

The bank secret is not negotiable, but our legislation provides enough leeway for other solutions.

Pool owners now have a wide leeway to pour water into their pools.

But far more leeway to dissect the topic exists in places where gay rights are more protected.

Apple will allow publishers more leeway to set their own prices for e-books.

The court has also given great leeway to arbitrators to handle sensitive employment matters and be free of legal challenges.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

leeway (ˈliːˌweɪ)

—n
1.	room for free movement within limits, as in action or expenditure
2.	sideways drift of a boat or aircraft

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

leeway

1660s, sideways drift of a ship caused by wind, from lee + way.

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leeway

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