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alley1

Pronunciation: /ˈali/

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Definition of alley

noun (plural alleys)

  • a narrow passageway between or behind buildings: he took a short cut along an alley there were a few muggings in the backstreets and alleys
  • a path lined with trees, bushes, or stones: alleys of standing stones
  • [with modifier] a long, narrow area in which games such as skittles and bowling are played:a skittle alley
  • Tennis, North American either of the two side strips between the singles sideline and the sidelines which count as part of the court in a doubles match.
  • Baseball the area between the outfielders in left-centre or right-centre field.

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French alee 'walking or passage', from aler 'go', from Latin ambulare 'to walk'

alley in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of alley in the US English dictionary
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