elbow room

elbow room

1. Enough space to move around an area easily. Ugh, the mall is so crowded today that there's hardly any elbow room at all!
2. The freedom and ability to act as one wants. Well, you're her cabinet—if you're worried about her having too much elbow room as student council president, you should impose limitations.
See also: elbow, room
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

*some elbow room

Fig. room to move about in; extra space to move about in. (*Typically: allow ~; get ~; have ~; give someone ~; need ~.) This table is too crowded. We all need some elbow room.
See also: elbow, room
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

elbow room

Enough space to move about, as in Two hundred on the stage? There won't be any elbow room. This term alludes to having enough room to extend one's elbows. [Late 1500s]
See also: elbow, room
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

elbow room

1. If someone gives you elbow room, they give you the freedom to do what you want to do in a particular situation. He promised governors that he would give them more elbow room to encourage innovation. The decision has allowed us more electoral elbow room and political flexibility.
2. If you have enough elbow room, you have enough space to move freely or feel comfortable, without feeling crowded. There was not much elbow room in the cockpit. To have this much elbow room in London, you would need to be a billionaire.
See also: elbow, room
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

ˈelbow room

(informal)
1 enough space to move in: October is a good time to visit as there are fewer tourists and more elbow room in the restaurants.
2 the freedom to do something: Teachers often feel they have little elbow room to try new methods.
See also: elbow, room
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

elbow room

Enough space. This metaphor for having enough space to extend one’s elbows has been used since the sixteenth century. “Now my soul hath elbow-room,” wrote Shakespeare (King John, 5.7).
See also: elbow, room
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • (that's) a hell of a note
  • be on (one's) back
  • be on somebody's back
  • be on someone's back
  • apple-knocker
  • (I'm) sorry I asked
  • buttmunch
  • butt-munch
  • a thing
  • a whole thing
References in periodicals archive
The Elbow Room also cornered the showbiz market, with Ozzy Osbourne, ELO, UB40 and Steve Winwood regularly in attendance.
Hunt for mystery heroes who saved clubber's life; Reunion planned for famed Elbow Room after reveller's brush with death
NEW DELHI: India s ruling Congress party officials met on Wednesday to douse a political standoff over a contentious womens quota bill after two of its allies quit and left the government less elbow room to pass economic legislation.
India s Congress faces turmoil over women s bill
and yet Small i once was complicit with the world had all the elbow room
Small i
Lund's new 2010 Predator Tiller packs serious fishing punch and ample elbow room into a 20-foot, 2-inch platform.
Tiller thriller
The Civic was understandably packed - no elbow room, if you will.
No elbow room for Garvey and co; REVIEW Elbow Wolverhampton Civic Hall ****
"We're excited about having a brand-new office and being in a central location and increasing our elbow room," Wallace said.
Bay City Financial Service moving to Barkley
Perhaps you have heard that the Arkansas Arts Center is considering purchasing some land to gain some extra elbow room.
Arts center expansion
McIntosh, 37, who has spent 18 years at Sardis Road spent his last 80 minutes smashing into rucks and tackles and fighting for elbow room in the line-out.
Rugby League: A Chief's farewell
Break up a head-to-toe fitted look with fun detailing, like sleeves with some elbow room and open zippers.
Spring takes shape: what looks new now? Contrast! Billowing tops and tight leggings. Big sleeves and a cinched waist. GL breaks it down and shows you the easy ways to get it right
For exhibitors who need "elbow room," the farm show offers jumbo display areas, measuring 250' wide by 150' deep.
Indiana Farmfest
Such is the case with more recent compositions wherein angular shapes push one another around within the frame, amoebic forms vie for elbow room, and abutted and interlocking blocks of color compete in a push-pull that subverts the spatial dominance and fixity of each.
Peter Plagens: USC Fisher Gallery
A team of 20, plus a few floaters, scrapping for elbow room in a stale-air environment ain't fun, and in terms of basic working conditions, 'the meejah' is entitled to be brought into the new millennium at a track where the seven-day Festival meeting comes second only to Galway in terms of crowds and betting turnover.
It's a game of sardines in press room at Listowel
As well as providing more elbow room than conventional five- seater superminis, this also provides a combination of decent legroom or good boot space.
DRIVETIME: MOTORING: Citroen's colourful touch on new supermini
McPherson for short stories: I changed when I read his Elbow Room and Hue and Cry.
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere
There are presently two stores available that can be leased separately or together: The Elbow Room Bar, with 5,800 SF, ground level, and Kim's Video 111 with approximately 4,000 SF on the selling concourse.
Garrick-Aug named agent for Bleeker Street space. (Retail New York)