breathing space
1
3.5
- noun
- /ˈbriːðɪŋ speɪs/
- Formal
:
espacio de respiro
- And it also gave her the breathing space she had just been longing for: time to run an iron over her less-than-immaculate linen shirt, to hunt for the cuff links that went really well with it, to pin up her hem, and even to stitch it.
- a bit of breathing space
- give me breathing space
And they very quickly get themselves to a place of overwhelm where they say I'll just return to my love life when I get some breathing space.
- And they very quickly get themselves to a place of overwhelm where they say I'll just return to my love life when I get some breathing space.
- And we have to be in the right situation and give ourselves that right breathing space to be able to feel the fullness of that feeling without judgement or guilt or remorse.
Examples
-
In such circumstances, the project offers "a breathing space" and mediation, says Alie.
Academic text (2009) -
And we have to be in the right situation and give ourselves that right breathing space to be able to feel the fullness of that feeling without judgement or guilt or remorse.
-
And I think with us in terms of like career, we kind of know that we we both give each other breathing space to shine.
-
Any breathing space we have should be used to work towards solutions before more drastic measures are forced upon us by circumstances.
Blog text (19) -
So China needs to tighten its political cooperation with the US just to recover essential breathing space on its borders.
Blog text (19) -
This, we hope, will give us a little breathing space to ramp up production capacity, bring more of the older titles back into the lineup, and start being able to make and fulfill online sales.
Blog text (19) -
Although al Qaeda has suffered setbacks, it has also developed some breathing space in Pakistan and in certain parts of eastern and northern Africa.
Academic text (2009) -
They've earned their leisure time, then, their breathing space, and while they're in my care, they'll have it.
Fiction book (2000) -
"Ma'am, could you give me a little breathing space here?" I tipped the overstuffed chair against the wall so I could get a better view of the gaping rip in the black fabric on the bottom.
Fiction book (2000) -
After a hectic week at work, I finally took a day off to enjoy some breathing space.
Synonyms
31
3.4
A short rest to recover energy
16
3.8
Extra space or time that lets you relax and think
1
3.0
A short break to breathe and rest
1
4.3
A short rest to get energy before continuing a difficult task
A short time to rest from work or trouble
A short time to rest and feel less stressed
Antonyms
How Long
2
3.6
25
7.2
- Formal
1
3.5
∞
1.0
98
3.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally evokes 'space to breathe' — a short interval or respite — so a B1 learner who knows 'breathing' and 'space' can infer it means a temporary pause or relief. The compositional, metaphorical logic is common cross-linguistically and directly maps to the MWE's core meaning, with the legal specifics being an extension rather than a departure from that sense.
Etymology
Breathing space comes from the simple image of having room to breathe when you are crowded; the words breathing and space give a clear picture of a small area where you can relax. That's why it means 'a short time of relief'.