ALLEY

alley, alleyway, back street

(noun) a narrow street with walls on both sides

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Proper noun

Alley (plural Alleys)

A surname.

A female given name

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Alley is the 2529th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 14323 individuals. Alley is most common among White (92.3%) individuals.

Anagrams

• elayl, yella

Etymology 1

Noun

alley (plural alleys)

A narrow street or passageway, especially one through the middle of a block giving access to the rear of lots or buildings.

Synonyms: alleyway, Thesaurus:alley

(baseball) The area between the outfielders.

Synonym: gap

(bowling) An establishment where bowling is played.

Synonym: bowling alley

(bowling) An elongated wooden strip of floor along which a bowling ball is rolled.

Synonym: lane

(tennis) 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.

A passageway between rows of pews in a church.

(perspective drawing) 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.

Etymology 2

Noun

alley (plural alleys)

A glass marble or taw.

Anagrams

• elayl, yella

Source: Wiktionary


Al"ley, n.; pl. Alleys. Etym: [OE. aley, alley, OF. alée, F. allée, a going, passage, fr. OE. aler, F. aller, to go; of uncertain origin: cf. Prov. anar, It. andare, Sp. andar.]

1. A narrow passage; especially a walk or passage in a garden or park, bordered by rows of trees or bushes; a bordered way. I know each lane and every alley green. Milton.

2. A narrow passage or way in a city, as distinct from a public street. Gay.

3. A passageway between rows of pews in a church.

4. (Persp.)

Definition: Any passage having the entrance represented as wider than the exit, so as to give the appearance of length.

5. The space between two rows of compositors' stands in a printing office.

Al"ley, n.; pl. Alleys. Etym: [A contraction of alabaster, of which it was originally made.]

Definition: A choice taw or marble. Dickens.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

22 January 2025

MEGALITH

(noun) memorial consisting of a very large stone forming part of a prehistoric structure (especially in western Europe)


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.

coffee icon