/ˈæl.i/
OriginFrom Middle English aleye, from Anglo-Norman aleie, feminine of alé, past participle of aler (“to go”) (French aller). Doublet of allée.
- A narrow street or passageway, especially one through the middle of a block giving access to the rear of lots of buildings.
“The parking lot to my friend's apartment building is in the alley.”
- The area between the outfielders.
“He hit one deep into the alley.”
- An establishment where bowling is played.
- An elongated wooden strip of floor along which a bowling ball is rolled.
- The extra area between the sidelines or tramlines on a tennis court that is used for doubles matches.
- A walk or passage in a garden or park, bordered by rows of trees or bushes.
“I know each lane and every alley green.” — Comus
- A passageway between rows of pews in a church.
- Any passage having the entrance represented as wider than the exit, so as to give the appearance of length.
- The space between two rows of compositors' stands in a printing office.
- informal, rareA group of clowns; the collective noun for clowns.
“[…] alley of clowns had sprung like a fungus growth from the dung heap of the First World War.”
““[…] Something must've happened to him when he was little.”
“Which would give him a reason to hate them,” Oliver replied and was pushed aside by an alley of clowns. “Hey!”
“Sorry, kid. Didn't see you ”
- A marble (small ball used in games).
- A surname.
- A female given name.
Formsalleys(plural) · Alleys(plural) · Aley(alternative)