Alley

//ˈæl.i// name, noun, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.
  2. 2
    A female given name.
Noun
  1. 1
    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."

  2. 2
    A marble (small ball used in games).
  3. 3
    a narrow street with walls on both sides wordnet
  4. 4
    The area between the outfielders.

    "He hit one deep into the alley."

  5. 5
    a lane down which a bowling ball is rolled toward pins wordnet
Show 8 more definitions
  1. 6
    An establishment where bowling is played.
  2. 7
    An elongated wooden strip of floor along which a bowling ball is rolled.
  3. 8
    The extra area between the sidelines or tramlines on a tennis court that is used for doubles matches.
  4. 9
    A walk or passage in a garden or park, bordered by rows of trees or bushes.

    "I know each lane and every alley green."

  5. 10
    A passageway between rows of pews in a church.
  6. 11
    Any passage having the entrance represented as wider than the exit, so as to give the appearance of length.
  7. 12
    The space between two rows of compositors' stands in a printing office.
  8. 13
    A group of clowns; the collective noun for clowns. informal, rare

    "[…] alley of clowns had sprung like a fungus growth from the dung heap of the First World War."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English aleye, from Anglo-Norman aleie, feminine of alé, past participle of aler (“to go”) (French aller). Doublet of allée.

Etymology 2

Diminutive of alabaster, from which they were once made.

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