alley-waiter, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

alley-waiter n.

[play on pron. of SE, with added overtones of the narrowness of an alley and the elevator car, and ref. to SE dumb waiter]

(US) an elevator or lift.

1896		DN I 411: Ally waiter: pop. etym. for elevator.
1942		Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. of Sl. §81.21: elevator, Alley-waiter.
1953		Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. of Sl. (2nd edn) §75.40: [as cit. 1942].