alley

alley — 名詞

1. a small street, often paved, that runs between or behind houses, shops, or other

1.名詞B1
釋義

巷子；小巷

建築物之間或後方的窄巷

a small street, often paved, that runs between or behind houses, shops, or other buildings, usually too narrow for a car to pass through easily.

例句

Priya took a shortcut down a dark alley behind the bakery.

馬可斯抄近路，從麵包店後面的暗巷穿過去。

down + an alley (motion through)

Two cats were fighting over a fish bone in the alley.

兩隻貓在巷子裡為了一根魚骨打架。

同義詞
  • lane

    more general; can also be in the countryside

  • passage

    any narrow way, often covered or indoors

  • back street

    small road behind main streets, but usually wider than an alley

反義詞
  • main road

    wide street with through traffic

  • avenue

    broad city street, often tree-lined

文法句型

down/along/through + an alley

用法筆記

Often paired with adjectives that describe the feel of the place (dark, narrow, quiet, dirty). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is between buildings in a town or city, not a path inside a park or garden.

常見錯誤

❌We drove our truck along the alley between the two buildings.
✅We walked along the alley between the two buildings.
💡alleys are usually too narrow for normal traffic; choose a verb of walking unless the context is clearly a back service road.

2. a long walking path inside a park, garden, or large estate, with rows of trees,

2.名詞B2
釋義

林蔭步道

公園或花園裡兩側種樹的步道

a long walking path inside a park, garden, or large estate, with rows of trees, hedges, or flowers planted along each side.

例句

Old oak trees lined the alley leading from the gate to the main house.

從大門通往主屋的林蔭小徑兩旁種著老橡樹。

alley lined with [plant] on each side

The royal gardener planted an alley of pink roses for the queen's birthday.

皇家園丁為女王生日種了一條兩側都是粉紅玫瑰的步道。

alley of + plural noun

同義詞
  • avenue

    wide tree-lined road or path; alley feels more like a private garden walk

  • walk

    general word for any path made for walking

  • promenade

    wide walking path, usually by the sea or in a public space

文法句型

alley + of + plural noun (trees, roses)

用法筆記

Usually appears with the pattern 'alley of + plant noun' (alley of limes, alley of cherry trees). Distinguish from sense 1: this alley is a quiet, planted walk for pleasure, not a back road in a town.

3. the long flat strip of polished wood at a bowling centre that a player rolls the

3.名詞B2
釋義

保齡球道

保齡球場上滾球到球瓶的木質長道

the long flat strip of polished wood at a bowling centre that a player rolls the ball along, trying to knock down the pins at the far end.

例句

Daisy aimed for the middle of the alley and knocked down all ten pins.

黛西瞄準球道中央，把十支球瓶全部擊倒。

rolling a ball down the alley toward pins

The wooden alley had been freshly waxed before the tournament started.

比賽開始前，那條木質球道剛打過蠟。

同義詞
  • lane

    more common word in modern bowling centres

  • track

    general word for a narrow strip used for sport

文法句型

bowling alley (compound)

用法筆記

The compound 'bowling alley' can mean either the single lane (this sense) or the whole building where people go bowling. The wider venue meaning is far more common in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌We booked an alley for two hours on Friday night.
✅We booked a lane for two hours on Friday night.
💡when reserving in a bowling centre, English speakers more often say 'lane' than 'alley'.

4. in tennis or badminton, a thin strip running along each sideline that only count

4.名詞C1
釋義

雙打邊線區

網球場兩側雙打才算界內的細長區

in tennis or badminton, a thin strip running along each sideline that only counts as in-play during a doubles match between two teams of two players.

例句

Anaya's serve clipped the line of the alley and was called good.

瑪雅的發球擦到雙打邊線區的邊線，被判好球。

In singles, any ball that lands in the alley is out.

打單打時，球落在雙打邊線區一律算出界。

rule: alley = in for doubles, out for singles

同義詞
  • tramline

    British term for the same area, often used in plural ('the tramlines')

  • doubles lane

    descriptive everyday phrase, less technical

文法句型

the alley(s) on a tennis/badminton court

用法筆記

Almost always used in doubles contexts. Often called the 'doubles alley' for clarity. Frequently appears with 'down the alley' to describe a sharp shot pulled along that strip.

5. in baseball, the open patch of grass that lies between the two outfielders stand

5.名詞C1
釋義

外野空檔

棒球外野兩名守備員之間的空地

in baseball, the open patch of grass that lies between the two outfielders standing furthest from home plate, often called the gap by commentators.

例句

Reyes drove the ball deep into the alley for a stand-up triple.

雷耶斯把球擊到外野深處的空檔，輕鬆跑上三壘。

into the alley for an extra-base hit

The fielders were caught out of position and the ball rolled into the alley.

守備員位置不對，球從空檔穿過去滾遠了。

同義詞
  • gap

    more common in modern baseball commentary

  • power alley

    specific phrase for the deepest part of left-centre or right-centre field

文法句型

into/in the alley

用法筆記

Mostly American sports talk. Subject of the verb is normally the ball or the hitter; common verbs are 'split', 'drive into', 'roll into', 'find'. The synonym 'gap' is heard at least as often in modern broadcasts.