breathing room
A sufficient buffer of time, space, or money that allows for freedom of movement or relief from a given source of pressure or stress. My yearly bonus always affords us a little bit of breathing room for the Christmas expenses. Please move back and give us some breathing room here. The professor extended the deadline for our midterm papers, so I've got a bit of breathing room to get it finished.
breathing space
1. A sufficient buffer of time or space that allows for freedom of movement or relief from a given source of pressure or stress. My yearly bonus always affords us a little bit of breathing space for the Christmas expenses. Please move back and give us some of breathing space here. The professor extended the deadline for our midterm papers, so I've got a bit of breathing space to get it finished.
2. A pause to rest or to think over something. Give me a minute, I just need a little breathing space while I figure this out.
breathing spell
A pause to rest or to think over something. Give me a minute, I just need a little breathing spell while I figure this out.
fire-breathing
(used as a modifier before a noun) Particularly ardent, vehement, or excoriating in speech or behavior. Likened to a dragon or other creature able to shoot streams of fire from its mouth. Their fire-breathing boss had all the employees constantly on edge. The fire-breathing politician was quite polarizing, but her fans were intensely loyal and supportive.
mouth-breathing
(used before a noun) Dimwitted, foolish, or stupid; of low or stunted intelligence. Maybe you wouldn't have failed the exam if you weren't such a mouth-breathing nincompoop! That mouth-breathing idiot Terry parked his car in my space again. That's the third time this month!