I. ˈpāv transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English paven, from Middle French paver, from Latin pavire to strike, stamp; akin to Old English fȳran to castrate, Old High German ar fūrian to castrate, Latin putare to prune, esteem, consider, think, Greek paiein to strike, Lithuanian pjauti to cut, reap, slaughter
1.
a. : to lay or cover with stone, brick, asphalt, concrete, or other material making a firm, level, or convenient surface for travel : floor with brick, stone, or other solid material
the street … is paved with timeworn cobblestones — Dana Burnet
b. : to overlie or cover like a pavement
tables inlaid with baskets of many-colored fruit; sideboards paved with green marble — Virginia Woolf
2. : to cover firmly and solidly as if with paving material
the path of reform was to be paved with parliamentary action — Louis Wasserman
hell is paved with good intentions — Samuel Johnson
3. : to serve as or provide material for a covering or pavement of
bricks that pave the cloister
tons of wire sieves, rolls of sheet lead … were used to pave muddy streets in the rainy season — Julian Dana
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- pave the way
III. ˈpāv noun
( -s )
Etymology: French pavé
: pavement
a lantern hung, casting a dim radiance … upon the step and pave below — John Bennett