alley
1a passage, as through a continuous row of houses, permitting access from the street to backyards, garages, etc.
a narrow back street.
a walk, as in a garden, enclosed with hedges or shrubbery.
Bowling.
a long, narrow, wooden lane or floor along which the ball is rolled.
(often plural) a building for bowling.
Tennis. the space on each side of a tennis court between the doubles sideline and the service or singles sideline.
Rare. an aisle.
Idioms about alley
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.
Origin of alley
1synonym study For alley
Other definitions for alley (2 of 2)
a choice, large playing marble.
Origin of alley
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use alley in a sentence
Two hundred girls are weaving in and out of dirty alleys in the seaside slum of West Point, Liberia.
The streets retain a medieval pattern and are narrow, intersected by many alleys.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland | Clive Irving | September 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTYou wind through trash-pile backstreets and alleys in Adh Dhouloueya, along farm roads and groves outside of nearby Balad City.
Whatever You Do Someone Will Die. A Short Story About Impossible Choices in Iraq | Nathan Bradley Bethea | August 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWe saw trash in our streets and alleys, so we picked it up every day.
All of us kids would be up and down the alleys looking in the ash cans for the labels.
The trees are sometimes prettily arranged in alleys, but are planted far less for ornament than for use.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida PfeifferFor some distance our road lay through narrow streets or alleys paved with large flags.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida PfeifferShe plunged back along one of the converging avenues, yielding to the fascination of green alleys leading one knows not whither.
The Daughters of Danaus | Mona CairdBefore him, not far off, at the side of one of the alleys in the garden, was a wooden seat painted green.
Toilers of the Sea | Victor HugoThere were wonderful Old World houses, quaint steps and turns and alleys.
Private Peat | Harold R. Peat
British Dictionary definitions for alley (1 of 2)
/ (ˈælɪ) /
a narrow lane or passage, esp one between or behind buildings
See bowling alley
tennis, mainly US the space between the singles and doubles sidelines
a walk in a park or garden, esp one lined with trees or bushes
up one's alley or down one's alley See street (def. 10)
Origin of alley
1British Dictionary definitions for alley (2 of 2)
/ (ˈælɪ) /
a large playing marble
Origin of alley
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with alley
In addition to the idiom beginning with alley
- alley cat
also see:
- blind alley
- right up one's alley
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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