Definition

1. Noun:
   • A narrow street or passageway between buildings: An "alley" is a narrow lane, typically in a city or town, that provides access to the rear of buildings or serves as a secondary route, often with walls or fences on both sides.
   • A long, narrow lane for bowling: In the sport of bowling, an "alley" is the smooth, wooden or synthetic lane down which players roll a ball toward a set of pins.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Street):
  • The delivery truck couldn't fit down the narrow alley behind the restaurant.
  • We took a shortcut through a dark alley to get to the main street.
• Noun (Bowling):
  • She bowled a perfect strike right down the center of the alley.
  • Please wait for the pins to be reset before using the alley again.

Advanced Usage

• "to be up/down one's alley": To be suited to one's interests, tastes, or abilities.
  • Graphic design is right up my alley; I've always loved it.
• "alley cat": A homeless or stray cat that lives in urban areas, often in alleys.
  • We feed the skinny alley cat that sleeps behind our garage.

Variants and Related Words

• Alleyway (n): A synonym for a narrow street or passage. Often used interchangeably with "alley."
  • The fire escape led down into a dirty alleyway.
• Back alley (n): An alley, often implying it is hidden, secluded, or used for illicit activities.
  • The deal was made in a shady back alley.
• Bowling alley (n): A building or facility containing lanes for bowling.
  • Let's meet at the bowling alley on Friday night.

Synonyms

• Lane: A narrow road, especially in a rural area, or a division of a road.
• Passageway: A way for passing through; a corridor or alley.
• Path: A track or way worn by footsteps.

Related Phrases

• Blind alley:
  • An alley that is closed at one end; a dead-end street.

    • The thief was caught in a blind alley.
  • A course of action that leads nowhere or offers no prospects of success.

    • That line of research turned out to be a blind alley.

Idioms

• Right up one's alley: Perfectly matching someone's interests or skills.
  • A puzzle like this is right up her alley.
• Alley-oop:
  • In basketball, a play where one player lobs the ball near the basket for a teammate to jump and score.

    • The point guard threw a perfect alley-oop for the dunk.
  • An exclamation of encouragement, especially when lifting someone up.

    • They shouted "Alley-oop!" as they lifted the heavy box.

Noun

1. a lane down which a bowling ball is rolled toward pins
2. a narrow street with walls on both sides