They would give him a breathing space while he thought out the next move.

What I can certainly do is buy us a breathing space.

What we need at the moment is some breathing space.

But I was happy to have some breathing space of my own.

At any rate, he now had a little breathing space.

It was as if they were to be given a breathing space.

He hadn't left her any breathing space, probably by design.

There was just too much going on, and I needed some breathing space.

That will give us a breathing space to sort things out.

But at least for a little while, there would be some breathing space.