# blind alley

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see blind, alley. A street or passageway that leads nowhere.
2. A course of inquiry that leads nowhere.

## Etymology
The notion of ‘blindness’ comes from the lack of a through passage (the ‘eye’). Attested since 1583, and used figuratively since the mid-19th century.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/blind-alley