leeway

Noun

leeway (countable and uncountable, plural leeways)

1. The drift of a ship or aeroplane in a leeward direction.
2. A varying degree or amount of freedom or flexibility.
   • I don't think we have a lot of leeway when it comes to proper formatting.
   • It was 1.6 [a.m.] when we got the road, and now we had 13 lost minutes to regain. But the "Condor" schedule has so much leeway that, with the diesel power, the loss was easily recouped.1960 January, G. Freeman Allen, “"Condor"—British Railways' fastest freight train”, in Trains Illustrated, page 49

   Synonyms:

   freedom, flexibility, latitude, margin, wiggle room, elbowroom

3. (UK) An adverse discrepancy or variation in a cumulative process, usually in the phrase make up leeway.
   • [...] there was plenty of opportunity to modernise in the years up to 1939, but since then the Second World War and its aftermath of expenditure rigidly controlled by Government held up any progress until at last the purse-strings were unloosed five years ago. But an enormous amount of leeway needs...1960 April, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 209