Alley Definition
ălē
alleys
noun
alleys
A narrow street or passageway between or behind city buildings.
American Heritage
A lane in a garden or park, bordered by trees or shrubs.
Webster's New World
A path between flower beds or trees in a garden or park.
American Heritage
A narrow street or walk, specif., a lane behind or alongside a row of buildings or between two rows of buildings that face on adjacent streets.
Webster's New World
A straight narrow course or track, especially a bowling alley.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
- enjoyable
- suited to one's interests
- suited to one's tastes
- suited to one's abilities
- rear way
- back-street
- lane
- skittle-alley
- bowling-alley
- alleyway
- motorway
- causey
- carriageway
- autostrada
- autoroute
idiom
up (one's) alley
- Compatible with one's interests or qualifications:
an assignment that is right up your alley.
American Heritage
up someone's alley
- suited to someone's tastes or abilities
Webster's New World
Other Word Forms of Alley
Noun
Singular:
alleyPlural:
alleysIdioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Alley
- up (one's) alley
- up someone's alley
Origin of Alley
-
Anglo-Norman and Old French alee, feminine of alé, past participle of aler (“to go”) (French aller). See also allée.
From Wiktionary
-
Middle English alei from Old French alee from aler to walk from Latin ambulāre ambulate
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
Diminutive of alabaster.
From Wiktionary
Short for alabaster
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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