Leeway is room to act as you think best. Give him some leeway, a little leeway, no leeway at all.
It is a sailing word: leeway is how far a boat is pushed sideways off its course by the wind, and allowing for it is part of navigation. The figurative sense keeps the idea of a margin — leeway is the slack you are allowed before it matters.
1nounleewayRoom to act as you think best.
“Our teacher gives us some leeway with deadlines if we're ill.”
leeway is a margin.
Lee plus way. The lee is the side away from the wind, and leeway is drift towards it.
From lee + way.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA