noun
alley
AL-ee
noun
1
A narrow passage or street between or behind buildings.
"The cat disappeared down a dark alley."
"They stored the bins in the alley behind the restaurant."
2
A long, narrow lane used for playing games such as bowling.
"He rolled the ball straight down the alley for a strike."
3
A tree-lined walkway or path through a garden or park.
"They strolled down a shaded alley of oak trees."
How to Use Alley
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA narrow passage between buildings, or a long straight lane used in games like bowling.
Common pairings
dark alley
back alley
bowling alley
blind alley
Word Forms
alleys plural, alleys plural, Alleys plural
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Etymology
From Old French alee, "a going, a walk," from the verb aler, "to go" — the same root that gives French its verb "aller" and English the related word "allée."