alley

noun

AL-ee/ˈæl.i/

11 meanings of alley

1
nouncountable
A narrow path or street that runs between or behind buildings.
Like a small road hidden behind big buildings.
The cat darted down the alley behind the bakery.
Trash cans lined the narrow alley between the two shops.
Similaralleyway
Note
2
nouncountable
A place where people go to play bowling.
Like a movie theater, but for bowling.
We spent Friday night at the alley near the mall.
The new alley has twenty lanes and a snack bar.
Note
3
nouncountable
The long, narrow wooden lane that a bowling ball rolls down.
Like a long, smooth road made just for the ball to roll on.
He aimed carefully and sent the ball straight down the alley.
Oil on the alley makes the ball curve toward the pins.
Similarlane
Note
4
nouncountable
In baseball, the open gap in the field between two outfielders.
Like the empty space between two players where a ball can slip through.
He hit the ball into the alley for an easy double.
The fast runner reached third when the ball rolled into the alley.
Similargap
Note
5
nouncountable
In tennis, the narrow strip of court used only in doubles games.
Like an extra lane on the side that only opens for certain games.
Her shot landed in the alley, so it counted in their doubles match.
In singles, a ball that lands in the alley is out.
Similartramlines
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6
nouncountable
A path in a garden or park with trees or bushes on each side.
Like a hallway made of trees instead of walls.
They strolled down the shady alley between the rose bushes.
An old stone bench sat at the end of the garden alley.
Similaravenue, walk, path
Note
7
nouncountable
A walkway between the rows of seats in a church.
The bride walked slowly up the alley toward the altar.
Candles lined the alley leading to the front of the church.
Similaraisle
8
nouncountable
A marble, a small ball that people use to play games.
Before the game of marbles, each player put one alley inside the chalk circle.
She kept her favorite alley in a velvet pouch.
Similarmarble
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9
nouncountable
In drawing, a passage made wider at the front than the back so it looks longer.
Like drawing train tracks that come together far away to look long.
The painter drew an alley to make the flat backdrop seem to stretch far away.
A skillfully drawn alley made the shallow stage look like a long hallway.
Note
10
nouncountable
In a printing shop, the open space between two rows of workers' stands.
The foreman walked down the alley, checking each typesetter's work.
Trays of metal type were stacked along the narrow alley.
Similaraisle
11
nouncolloquialcountable
A group of clowns gathered together as one bunch.
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–7, 9–11

It comes from Old French alee, meaning a going or walking, from a word meaning 'to go'.

Meaning 8

It comes from 'alabaster', because these little balls were once made from it.