alley

1
[ al-ee ]
See synonyms for alley on Thesaurus.com
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.

  1. a walk, as in a garden, enclosed with hedges or shrubbery.

  2. Bowling.

    • a long, narrow, wooden lane or floor along which the ball is rolled.

    • (often plural) a building for bowling.

  3. Tennis. the space on each side of a tennis court between the doubles sideline and the service or singles sideline.

  4. Rare. an aisle.

Idioms about alley

  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.

Origin of alley

1
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”; see also amble

synonym study For alley

2. See street.

Words Nearby alley

Other definitions for alley (2 of 2)

alley2
[ al-ee ]

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

Origin of alley

2
First recorded in 1710–20; probably al(abaster) + -y2, spelling to conform with alley1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use alley in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for alley (1 of 2)

alley1

/ (ˈælɪ) /


noun
  1. a narrow lane or passage, esp one between or behind buildings

  1. tennis, mainly US the space between the singles and doubles sidelines

  2. a walk in a park or garden, esp one lined with trees or bushes

  3. up one's alley or down one's alley See street (def. 10)

Origin of alley

1
C14: from Old French alee, from aler to go, ultimately from Latin ambulāre to walk

British Dictionary definitions for alley (2 of 2)

alley2

/ (ˈælɪ) /


noun
  1. a large playing marble

Origin of alley

2
C18: shortened and changed from alabaster

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with alley

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.