leeway

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
leeway/ˈliːweɪ/

▶noun

• 1 the amount of freedom to move or act that is available.

  ■ margin of safety.

• 2 the sideways drift of a ship to leeward of the desired course.

– phrases
make up (the) leeway Brit. struggle out of a bad position, especially by recovering lost time.