alley
gb/ˈæli/ us/ˈæli/
B1
English
~ 8600
sikátor, bowlingpálya, oldalsáv
NOUN
B1
1
sikátor
B2
Usage pattern:
walk/run/stand in an alley
She hurried down a narrow alley to avoid the busy main road.
Végigsietett egy szűk sikátoron, hogy elkerülje a forgalmas főutat.
The restaurant is hidden in a little alley behind the church.
Az étterem a templom mögötti kis sikátorban bújik meg.
They parked the delivery truck in the alley behind the supermarket.
The movie shows two men arguing in a dark alley late at night.
Children were playing soccer in the alley between the apartment blocks.
Learner examples
He walked through the small alley to his house.
A kis sikátoron keresztül ment haza.
There is a quiet alley behind our school.
Az iskolánk mögött van egy csendes sikátor.
The shop is at the end of this alley.
A cat ran away into the alley.
We do not like to use that alley at night.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "alley" with "ally". "Alley" is a place (a narrow street), while "ally" is a person or country that supports you. Also, some learners think an alley is always dangerous; in English it simply describes a narrow passage, which can be safe or unsafe depending on context.
Meaning
narrow passage between buildings
Collocations
narrow alley
|dark alley
|back alley
|quiet alley
|down the alley
|in the alley behind [something]
Synonyms
lane (Often a small country or residential road; not always as narrow or urban as an alley.)
|
passageway (More formal and general; can be indoors or outdoors, not only in cities.)
Antonyms
main street (A wide, busy public road, the opposite of a small, narrow alley.)
|
boulevard (A broad, usually important city street, contrasting with a cramped alley.)
Themes
places
|city_life
|travel
|housing
Definition
A narrow way between or behind buildings where people can walk or where cars and trucks may go behind houses or shops.
A narrow passage or lane, usually between or behind buildings in a town or city, used for walking or for service access.
NOUN
B1
2
bowlingpálya
B1
Usage pattern:
go to a/the bowling alley
We met at the bowling alley after work on Friday.
Pénteken munka után a bowlingpályán találkoztunk.
The old bowling alley downtown has been turned into a music venue.
A régi belvárosi bowlingpályát koncerthelyszínné alakították.
He works part-time at a bowling alley, fixing the lanes and setting up shoes.
The kids begged their parents to take them to the new bowling alley in the mall.
This alley has automatic scoring and glow-in-the-dark lanes.
Learner examples
Let’s go to the bowling alley tonight.
Menjünk ma este a bowlingpályára.
There is a new bowling alley near my house.
Van egy új bowlingpálya a házam közelében.
She works at the bowling alley on weekends.
We had my birthday party at a bowling alley.
The bowling alley was full, so we had to wait.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "alley" alone always means "bowling alley". In most contexts, "alley" by itself refers to a narrow passage in a city; when talking about the sport, English speakers almost always say "bowling alley".
Meaning
place where people go bowling
Collocations
bowling alley
|go to the alley
|local alley
|family-friendly alley
|crowded alley
Synonyms
bowling center (Used especially in business or advertising; more modern and neutral than the traditional "bowling alley".)
Antonyms
golf course (A contrasting type of sports venue: large and outdoors, unlike the enclosed bowling alley.)
Themes
sports
|leisure
|entertainment
|daily_life
Definition
A place you go to play bowling, with long lanes and pins at the end.
A building, room, or business where people go to play bowling on long wooden lanes.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
oldalsáv
C1
Usage pattern:
hit/send [the ball/shuttle] into the alley
Her serve landed just inside the doubles alley.
Az adogatása éppen az oldalsávban ért földet.
He hit a perfect passing shot down the alley.
Tökéletes elütést ütött végig az oldalsáv mentén.
In singles, that part of the court, the alley, is out of bounds.
The coach used cones to mark the alley for a training drill.
The ball bounced on the line of the alley and was called in.
Learner examples
In doubles, you also play in the alley.
Párosban az oldalsáv is a pálya része.
The ball was out because it landed in the alley.
A labda kint volt, mert az oldalsávban ért földet.
He likes to hit the ball down the alley.
The coach showed us the alley on the tennis court.
They practiced serves to the alley.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sports meaning with the city-street meaning and imagine buildings next to it. In tennis or badminton, the alley is simply a marked strip on the court surface, not a street or path between buildings.
Meaning
side strip of a sports court
Collocations
tennis alley
|doubles alley
|inside the alley
|outside the alley
|shot down the alley
Synonyms
tramlines (Used mainly in British English for the side strips in tennis; less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
center court (Refers to the main central playing area, not the narrow side strip.)
Themes
sports
|games
Definition
In sports like tennis and badminton, the long, narrow area along the side of the court that is used for some games, usually doubles.
In some sports, a narrow marked strip along the side of the court or field that is used or not used depending on the rules, especially in doubles play.
Grammar
Dictionary form
alley
IPA
GB/ˈæli/
US/ˈæli/
Syllables & stress
al - ley (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (al)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: alley
- Plural: alleys
Word family
Forms
alleys
noun
Related words
alleyway
noun
Expressions
alley cat
1/ˈæli kˈæt/
idiom
informal
stray cat living in streets
A cat with no home that lives outside in city streets and alleys.
Examples
- An alley cat was searching through the trash for food.
- The shelter takes in alley cats and tries to find them homes.
- We heard alley cats fighting outside the apartment late at night.
back alley
1/bˈæk ˈæli/
fixed phrase
narrow passage behind buildings
A narrow street or path behind houses or buildings, often used for service or as a quiet way.
Examples
- They met in a back alley to avoid being seen.
- The garbage trucks come through the back alley every morning.
- The shop has a small door that opens onto a back alley.
blind alley
1/blˈaɪnd ˈæli/
idiom
unproductive or hopeless path
A way of doing something that cannot succeed and will not lead to any good result.
Examples
- The research turned out to be a blind alley and they had to start again.
- Arguing about whose fault it was is a blind alley; we should focus on fixing the problem.
- The police followed several blind alleys before finding the real suspect.
dark alley
1/dˈɑɹk ˈæli/
fixed phrase
poorly lit narrow passage
An alley that does not have much light and may feel unsafe.
Examples
- She avoided walking down the dark alley at night.
- The movie opens with a chase through a dark alley.
- Police lights suddenly lit up the dark alley.
right up [someone]'s alley
1/ɹˈaɪt ˈʌp sˈoʊmˈoʊnz ˈæli/
idiom
informal
exactly suited to someone
To be exactly the kind of thing that a person likes or is good at.
Examples
- This mystery novel is right up your alley; I know how much you love crime stories.
- Cooking for a big group is right up his alley because he enjoys hosting parties.
- That math competition would be right up her alley, since she loves solving problems.
up [someone]'s alley
1/ˈʌp sˈoʊmˈoʊnz ˈæli/
idiom
informal
well suited to someone
To be the kind of thing that a person likes or is good at.
Examples
- Video games aren’t really up my alley, but my brother loves them.
- That science camp sounds right up your alley.
- This job is more up his alley than office work.
bowling alley
1/bˈoʊlɪŋ ˈæli/
fixed phrase
place where people play bowling
A place with special lanes and equipment where people go to play bowling.
Examples
- The city’s oldest bowling alley is closing next month.
- We took the kids to the bowling alley on Saturday afternoon.
- We met at the bowling alley and played two games.
- The old bowling alley closed and a supermarket opened in its place.
- This shopping mall has a cinema, a bowling alley, and a food court.
- He works evenings at the local bowling alley.