alley
noun (1)
\
Definition of alley
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a garden or park walk bordered by trees or bushes
2a(1) : a grassed enclosure for bowling or skittles
(2) : a hardwood lane for bowling also : a room or building housing a group of such lanes
b : the space on each side of a tennis doubles court between the sideline and the service sideline
c : an area in a baseball outfield between two outfielders when they are in normal positions hit a line drive into the alley
3 : a narrow street especially : a thoroughfare through the middle of a block giving access to the rear of lots or buildings
4 : an extensive region where destructive natural phenomena of a specified type (such as tornadoes) occur often or are likely to occur The most obvious tornado alley extends from the plains of northwest Texas eastward into north Texas and then northward across Oklahoma, Kansas, and eastern Nebraska.— Tom Konvicka
: suited to one's own tastes or abilities a job that's right up her alley
alley
noun (2)Definition of alley (Entry 2 of 2)
: a playing marble especially : one of superior quality
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for alley
alley
noun
\
Kids Definition of alley
1 : a narrow passageway between buildings
2 : a special narrow wooden floor on which balls are rolled in bowling
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on alley
What made you want to look up alley? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Find the Cousins
-
- Which pair shares a common word ancestor?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Find the Cousins
Identify the word pairs with a common ancestor
Take the quiz -
Late Autumn 2018 Words of the Day Quiz
Take the quiz -
True or False?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
Take the quiz -
Dictionary Devil
The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?
Play the game
Share alley
Resources for alley