Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun . The space between a bed and the wall.
  • noun Hence, a bedchamber in which persons of quality, especially ladies, in France during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries held receptions in the morning, to which persons distinguished for learning, wit, etc., as well as those constituting society, were invited; hence, such a reception, where the events of the day, etc., were discussed.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete A private circle or assembly at a private house; a circle.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun archaic The space between the bed and the wall.
  • noun A chamber, especially as formerly used in France to hold a reception or a literary gathering.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Borrowing from French ruelle.

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Examples

  • The ruelle is the little path between the bedside and the wall.

    Spectator, April 21, 1711 1711

  • The King, wishing to retire, went and fed his dogs; then said good night, passed into his chamber to the 'ruelle' of his bed, where he said his prayers, as in the morning, then undressed.

    Court Memoirs of France Series — Complete Various

  • The King, wishing to retire, went and fed his dogs; then said good night, passed into his chamber to the 'ruelle' of his bed, where he said his prayers, as in the morning, then undressed.

    Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Complete Louis de Rouvroy Saint-Simon 1715

  • The King, wishing to retire, went and fed his dogs; then said good night, passed into his chamber to the 'ruelle' of his bed, where he said his prayers, as in the morning, then undressed.

    Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Volume 11 Louis de Rouvroy Saint-Simon 1715

  • * References: Massif des Maures = local mountain range; "La Voisine" means "neighbor" -- meet mine via her knitting blog; une ruelle (f) = narrow street; une arbouse (f) = arbutus-berry [from the wild strawberry tree]

    Escapade 2010

  • A quiet ruelle in the village of Visan, recently featured in Cinéma Vérité.

    Tante Marie-Francoise 2009

  • A quiet ruelle in the village of Visan, recently featured in Cinéma Vérité.

    Lettres de ma Terrasse 2009

  • I am sure that your chance stroll down "sa ruelle" gave her as much pleasure as your story as brought to all of us.

    mamie - French Word-A-Day 2010

  • Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) "Impasse ou La ruelle (Le Cannet)" 1925

    The New Art Market's Ups and Downs 2010

  • *References: Massif des Maures = local mountain range; "La Voisine" means "neighbor" -- meet mine via her knitting blog; une ruelle (f) = narrow street; une arbouse (f) = arbutus-berry from the wild strawberry tree

    Escapade 2010

Comments

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  • A private assembly;a select social gathering

    November 5, 2007

  • from OED:

    The space between a bed and the wall; the part of a bed next the wall.

    August 25, 2009

  • I told my kids that the space between the bed and the wall is called the spider crack.

    August 25, 2009

  • My sister and I called in Narnia when we were kids.

    August 25, 2009

  • "Oh, he got out of the ruelle side of the bed today."

    August 25, 2009

  • This word was chosen as Wordnik word of the day.

    November 11, 2009