leeway: Meaning and Definition of

lee•way

1. extra time, space, materials, or the like, within which to operate; margin: With ten minutes' leeway we can catch the train.
2. a degree of freedom of action or thought: His instructions gave us plenty of leeway.
3. Also calledthe amount or angle of the drift of a ship to leeward from its heading.
4. the amount a plane is blown off its normal course by cross winds.