alley
alley Lexical Profile
alley Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A narrow passageway between or behind buildings, especially one reserved for pedestrians or service vehicles.
"The delivery truck backed slowly into the narrow brick alley behind the bakery."
A long, narrow wooden or synthetic lane down which balls are rolled in bowling or skittles, or a building housing such lanes.
"We reserved two adjacent lanes at the local bowling alley for Saturday evening."
In tennis, the narrow strip on each side of the court between the singles and doubles sidelines.
"Her angled return landed squarely inside the doubles alley to win the match point."
A large, prized playing marble originally made of white alabaster or marble.
"The boy crouched beside the chalk circle and aimed his favorite glass alley at the cluster of marbles."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'alley' (a narrow passageway or bowling lane) with 'ally' (a partner or supporter, pluralized as 'allies', whereas 'alley' is pluralized as 'alleys').
• Rhymes for alley
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'alee' (a walking or passage), the feminine past participle of 'aler' (to go), probably ultimately from Latin 'ambulare' (to walk). Note that the game marble sense is an unrelated shortening of 'alabaster'.