back-alley
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of back-alley
An Americanism dating back to 1860–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bickerstaff was referring to a time-honored tradition of Detroit basketball: Turning a hard court ballet into a back-alley brawl.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
Moore earned enthusiastic praise for her turn as Elisabeth Sparkle, a faded star who submits to a back-alley rejuvenation regime to reset her career.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2024
In this country, before abortion was legal, women went to both reputable doctors and back-alley quacks to get care.
From Slate • Nov. 7, 2023
They loved the supreme crispiness surrounding divine meatiness they encountered at the best back-alley katsu places in Japan — where, as with ramen, katsu is taken to the level of a comfort-food art form.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2022
After the pathetic back-alley drama, I headed to Burton’s pharmacy, which had been the real purpose of the trip downtown.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
