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View synonyms for alley

alley

1

[ al-ee ]

noun

, plural al·leys.
  1. a passage, as through a continuous row of houses, permitting access from the street to backyards, garages, etc.
  2. a narrow back street.
  3. a walk, as in a garden, enclosed with hedges or shrubbery.
  4. Bowling.
    1. a long, narrow, wooden lane or floor along which the ball is rolled.
    2. (often plural) a building for bowling.
  5. Tennis. the space on each side of a tennis court between the doubles sideline and the service or singles sideline.
  6. Rare. an aisle.


alley

2

[ al-ee ]

noun

, Chiefly Northeastern U.S.
, plural al·leys.
  1. a choice, large playing marble.

alley

1

/ ˈælɪ /

noun

  1. a large playing marble
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


alley

2

/ ˈælɪ /

noun

  1. a narrow lane or passage, esp one between or behind buildings
  2. tennis the space between the singles and doubles sidelines
  3. a walk in a park or garden, esp one lined with trees or bushes
  4. up one's alley or down one's alley
    See street
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of alley1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English al(e)y, from Middle French alee “walk, passage,” noun use of feminine of ale, past participle of aler “to walk,” probably from unattested Vulgar Latin allārī, from allātus, past participle of afferre “to bring”; amble

Origin of alley2

First recorded in 1710–20; probably al(abaster) + -y 2, spelling to conform with alley 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of alley1

C18: shortened and changed from alabaster

Origin of alley2

C14: from Old French alee, from aler to go, ultimately from Latin ambulāre to walk
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. up / down one's alley, Informal. in keeping with or satisfying one's abilities, interests, or tastes:

    If you like science fiction, this book will be right up your alley.

More idioms and phrases containing alley

In addition to the idiom beginning with alley , also see blind alley ; right up one's alley .
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Synonym Study

See street.
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Example Sentences

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince — “A Nightmare On My Street”For those VHS horror movie lovers, this one is right up your alley.

Once the vehicle is in the alley, the emergency lights go off again, but the cruiser keeps going, and Hylton is struck a few seconds laterwhen he darts out onto Kennedy Street between parked vehicles.

They said he drove out of an alley and collided with another vehicle.

Hylton died when he collided with a vehicle after pulling out of an alley, police said.

During one of our first walks, we came across an alley that we’d never noticed before.

The picture you took of the boy lying in the alley also seemed to strike a chord.

The meeting place of human rights and criminal justice in Iran is like a dark and frightening alley.

The alley cat and her kittens would have mugged him already.

He said his cousin had been found dead in an alley and he had to rush home.

It had rained while we were inside and the air in the alley smelled almost fresh.

Truly it was a most enjoyable season and experience, but there is no joy without its alley here below—not even at the North Pole!

He turned into an alley, down which, nautically speaking, he rolled into a shabby little court.

I turned right into a narrow street, went along it about fifty yards, and paused where it was crossed by a still narrower alley.

From the set of his shoulders, it seemed that he might be just as glad the alley was dim; but he simply trailed along behind.

I cannot put my own case to the Admiralty although the machines are wanted for overland tactics—a fatal blind alley.

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More About Alley

What is an alley?

An alley is a narrow passage between buildings or other structures. The word alleyway means the same thing.

Alley can also refer to a narrow path or passage behind a row of houses, such as one that allows access to garages and back yards.

An alley can also be a narrow street or lane—the word alley might even be used in the name of such a street, as in Elfreth’s Alley. All of these senses of alley refer to passages that are outside—you wouldn’t normally call a narrow passage an alley if it is indoors.

The term bowling alley refers to a building with lanes for bowling—which can also be called alleys.

The proper plural of alley is alleys.

Example: We took a shortcut through the narrow alley between the shops.

Where does alley come from?

The first records of the word alley come from the 1300s. It comes from the Middle French alee, meaning “walk” or “passage,” from verb aler, “to walk.”

In big cities, alleys between buildings are often very narrow—wide enough to walk down but not drive. These kinds of alleys are often depicted as dark, dangerous, or mysterious places—places where dangerous people might be lurking. In reality, they’re usually just places where businesses deposit their garbage in dumpsters.

A blind alley is a road or alley with a dead end (or a figurative dead end). An alley cat is a stray cat so-named probably because they often take shelter in alleys. If something is said to be up one’s alley, it means it is something that’s suited to their tastes or interests. The phrase probably uses one’s alley as a way of referring to one’s area of interest.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to alley?

  • alleys (plural)

What are some synonyms for alley?

What are some words that share a root or word element with alley

What are some words that often get used in discussing alley?

How is alley used in real life?

Alley is most commonly used to refer to the narrow passage between buildings or to the lane behind a row of houses.

 

Try using alley!

Is alley used correctly in the following sentence? 

Please pull the car around back and park in the alley.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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