breathing space in a war

hablar con entera o total libertad — to speak freely

tomarse muchas o demasiadas libertades con algn — to take too many liberties with sb

Ex: The reason for its popularity was largely that it was based upon a principle of conformity in essentials, and freedom in details.

tengo tanto trabajo que no puedo ni respirar — I'm up to my ears o eyes in work

respirar tranquilo — to breathe easily o freely (again)

respira confianza — she exudes o radiates confidence

lo escuchaban casi sin respirar — they listened to him with bated breath

no me/le deja ni respirar — (fam) she won't give me/him a minute's peace (colloq)

no tengo tiempo ni de respirar — (fam) I hardly have time to breathe

lo escuchaban casi sin respirar — they listened to him with bated breath

no me/le deja ni respirar — (fam) she won't give me/him a minute's peace (colloq)

no tengo tiempo ni de respirar — (fam) I hardly have time to breathe

Ex: We must try to make the world of books more open so that men and women everywhere may breathe freely the uncensored open air of ideas.

ocurrió unos momentos antes — it happened a few moments earlier o before

el edificio que habían comenzado dos años antes — the building that had been started two years before o previously

no te vayas sin antes consultarle — don't go without o before consulting her first, don't go without consulting her beforehand, don't go until you've consulted her

lo vio antes que yo — he saw it first o before I did o before me

• antes de algo — before sth

la cena estará lista para antes de las nueve — dinner will be ready by o before nine

una semana antes de la firma del contrato — a week before o prior to más frm signing the contract

• el año 27 antes de Cristo — 27 BC, 27 before Christ

• antes de hacer algo — before doing sth

antes de salir del coche, asegúrese de que están las ventanillas cerradas — before you get o before getting out of the car, make sure that the windows are closed

• mucho antes de algo — long before sth

mucho antes de conocerte — a long time before I met you o meeting you, long before I met you o meeting you más frm

• antes de o que nada — [en el tiempo] first of all; [indicando preferencia] above all

• poco antes de algo — just o shortly before sth

• antes de que — + subjun before

antes no pasaban estas cosas — these things didn't use to happen before o in the past

• de antes, nuestra casa de antes — our old house, our previous house

ya no soy el mismo de antes — I'm not the same person I was o I used to be

ya no se hacen películas como las de antes — they don't make films like they used to o like they did in the old days

no te he podido llamar antes — I couldn't call you sooner o earlier

• cuanto antes — as soon as possible

• lo antes posible — as soon as possible

cada vez se casan los hijos antes — kids get married at a younger o an earlier age these days

• antes de algo — before sth

no cederemos: antes gastamos todo nuestro dinero — we shall never give up: we would rather o sooner spend all our money

• antes bien, antes al contrario — but rather

• antes no — Chile, Méx just as well, luckily

vi lo furiosa que estaba, antes no te pegó — I saw how angry she was, just as well o luckily she didn't hit you

• antes que hacer algo — rather than doing sth

me lo deberías haber dicho antes — you should have told me before o earlier

llámame antes de salir — call me before leaving o you leave

antes me muero! — I'd rather o sooner die!

me lo deberías haber dicho antes — you should have told me before o earlier

llámame antes de salir — call me before leaving o you leave

antes me muero! — I'd rather o sooner die!

Ex: It will be a long time before all documents are available in machine-readable form.

Ex: These will be established in keeping with the principles established earlier.