ENENENEN
FR
ES
RU
IT
TR
UKBlind alley
/blˈaɪnd ˈalɪ/
/blˈaɪnd ˈæli/Blind alley
[NOUN]
What is the origin of the idiom "blind alley" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "blind alley" is uncertain, but it may be related to the idea of a street or alley that has no outlet or exit, forcing anyone who enters it to turn back. The phrase has been in use in English since the early 19th century, and it has been applied to a wide range of situations, including business ventures, relationships, and investigative efforts. In general, the phrase is used to describe a situation where there is no way forward, and further effort or investment is unlikely to produce any positive results.
Examples
1. And as you can imagine, I've run up many blind alleys.
2. They are saying to US that it is a blind alley, WOLF.
3. Could you navigate a shortcut route through that network rather than meandering, stumbling down blind alleys route that we took the first time around?
4. So what I'm trying to suggest to you is I can't recall any blind alley we every went up, at least while I was working there, because we were launched correctly.
more