pave

¹

[peyv]

verb (used with object)

paved, paving 

1. to cover or lay (a road, walk, etc.) with concrete, stones, bricks, tiles, wood, or the like, so as to make a firm, level surface.

noun

1. Southern Louisiana.,  a paved road.

pavé

²

[puh-vey, pav-ey, pa-vey]

noun

plural

pavés 

1. a pavement.

2. Jewelry.,  a setting of stones placed close together so as to show no metal between them.

adverb

1. Jewelry.,  in the manner of a pavé; as a pavé.

   diamonds set pavé.

adjective

1. Also pavéd, pavéed being set pavé.

   pavé rubies.

pave

¹

/ peɪv /

verb

1. to cover (a road, path, etc) with a firm surface suitable for travel, as with paving stones or concrete

2. to serve as the material for a pavement or other hard layer

   bricks paved the causeway

3. (often foll by with) to cover with a hard layer (of)

   shelves paved with marble

4. to prepare or make easier (esp in the phrase pave the way )

   to pave the way for future development

pavé

²

/ ˈpæveɪ /

noun

1. a paved surface, esp an uneven one

2. a style of setting gems so closely that no metal shows

Other Word Forms

• unpaved adjective
• well-paved adjective
• paver noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pave¹

1275–1325; Middle English paven < Middle French paver < Vulgar Latin *pavare, for Latin pavīre to beat, ram, tread down

Origin of pave²

1755–65; < French, past participle of paver. See pave

Word History and Origins

Origin of pave¹

C14: from Old French paver, from Latin pavīre to ram down

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pave the way to / for, to prepare for and facilitate the entrance of; lead up to.

   His analysis of the college market paved the way for their entry into textbook publishing.