pave

¹

[ peyv ]

verb (used with object)

, paved, pav·ing.

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; French pa-vey ]

noun

, plural pa·vés [p, uh, -, veyz, pav, -eyz, p, a, -, vey].

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 pa·véd, pa·véed. 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

Derived Forms

• ˈpaver, noun

Other Words From

• un·paved adjective
• well-paved adjective

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.

Example Sentences

The area had limited water and electrical service and no gas lines, sewers, garbage pickup or paved roads, according to a historical study prepared by the Architectural Resources Group last month for the city council.

From Los Angeles Times

Experts say some of the legal action is warranted and paved the way for reform.

From Los Angeles Times

Conille, a former United Nations official, was brought in to lead Haiti through an ongoing, gang-led security crisis and had been expected to help pave the way for the country's first presidential elections since 2016.

From BBC

Composed without arias or set pieces, Dargomyzhsky’s score illuminates Pushkin’s words and paves the way for the truly Russian opera, however grander, of Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.

From Los Angeles Times

Club walks last about an hour and are designed to be easy, Avila said, adding: “These are leisurely, flat, paved walks that are more about socializing.”

From Los Angeles Times