alley

/ˈæli/
noun
  1. A narrow street or passage between or behind buildings.
    • The children played basketball in the alley behind their apartment.
    • We took a shortcut through a dark alley to reach the main road.
    • The restaurant has a small outdoor seating area in the alley.
  2. A long, narrow area used for bowling, such as a bowling lane.
    • The bowling alley was crowded on Friday night.
    • She rolled the ball down the alley and knocked down all the pins.
    • He practiced his throw on lane five, the alley closest to the snack bar.
  3. In tennis or badminton, the extra strip of court on each side used for doubles play.
    • In doubles, you have to cover the alleys as well as the main court.
    • The ball landed in the alley, so the point went to the doubles team.
    • She hit a perfect shot down the alley, just inside the line.
What does "alley" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean