blind alley
noun
a road, alley, etc., that is open at only one end.
a position or situation offering no hope of progress or improvement: That line of reasoning will only lead you up another blind alley.
QUIZZES
CAN YOU GUESS THESE WORDS FROM AROUND THE US?
American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this quiz!
Question 1 of 10
A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?
Origin of blind alley
First recorded in 1575–85
Words nearby blind alley
blimpish, blimp out, blin, blind, blindage, blind alley, blind as a bat, blind blocking, blind casing, blindcat, blind copy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for blind alley
British Dictionary definitions for blind alley
blind alley
noun
an alley open at one end only; cul-de-sac
informal a situation in which no further progress can be made
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Idioms and Phrases with blind alley
blind alley
A dead end; a position without hope of progress or success. For example, That line of questioning led the attorney up yet another blind alley. This term alludes to a street or alley that has no outlet at one end. [Mid-1800s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.