fire breathing Idiom, Proverb
breathing space
breathing space 1) Room or time in which to breathe, as in
In that crowded hall, there was hardly any breathing space. Previously this term was put as
breathing room. [Mid-1600s]
2) A rest or pause. For example,
I can't work at this all day; I need some breathing space. This usage replaced the earlier
breathing while. [Mid-1600s]
fire-breathing
(used as a modifier afore a noun) Particularly ardent, vehement, or excoriating in accent or behavior. Likened to a dragon or added animal able to shoot streams of blaze from its mouth. Their fire-breathing bang-up had all the advisers consistently on edge. The fire-breathing baby-kisser was absolutely polarizing, but her admirers were acutely loyal and supportive.