pave

¹ American  

[peyv] / peɪv /

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.

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noun

1. Southern Louisiana. a paved road.

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.

pavé ² American  

[puh-vey, pav-ey, pa-vey] / pəˈveɪ, ˈpæv eɪ, paˈveɪ /

noun

plural

pavés

1. a pavement.

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

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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 British  

/ 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

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pavé ² British  

/ ˈpæveɪ /

noun

1. a paved surface, esp an uneven one

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

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Other Word Forms

• paver noun
• unpaved adjective
• well-paved adjective

Etymology

Origin of pave¹

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

Origin of pavé²

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

Example Sentences

“I want us to give ourselves the freedom to write something we know isn’t good—because that might pave the way to something great.”

From Literature

She feels herself and others are still "paving the way" for representation in the acting industry for people with disabilities.

From BBC

First, the US needs to pave the way.

From BBC

She welcomed Wednesday’s ruling by a New York federal judge that may pave the way for companies to collect refunds on tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court.

From The Wall Street Journal

Its purchase helped pave the way to what would become a nationwide network of county wildlife trusts.

From BBC