pave

1 of 2

verb

paved; paving

transitive verb

1
: to lay or cover with material (such as asphalt or concrete) that forms a firm level surface for travel
2
: to cover firmly and solidly as if with paving material
3
: to serve as a covering or pavement of

pavé

2 of 2

adjective

pa·​vé pa-ˈvā How to pronounce pavé (audio)
variants or less commonly pavéed or pavéd or pave
of jewels
: set as close together as possible to conceal a metal base
Phrases
pave the way
: to prepare a smooth easy way : facilitate development

Examples of pave in a Sentence

Verb The crew was paving the road. Some of the roads were paved over. The driveway is paved with concrete. It was said that this country was so rich, the streets were paved with gold.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Soft tannins and voluptuous mouthfeel pave the way for flavors of ripe red plum, red raspberry, and dried Bing cherry. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024 Any deal could pave the way to keep the Major League Baseball team in its longtime home, ensuring continued foot traffic and tax revenue. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 These laws have paved the way for a more inclusive Argentina, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for all. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 Our approach to content creation on emerging platforms paved the way for new media models. Todd Spangler, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 The new show was a ratings success and one of Netflix’s early forays into original reality programming, paving the way for future hits Selling Sunset, Love Is Blind, and The Circle. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2024 The industry’s fortunes started improving in August when a federal appeals court paved the way for companies to offer E.T.F.s tied to Bitcoin. David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Jake Gyllenhaal is honoring the man who paved the way for him in more ways than one. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 These strategies empower women to negotiate with confidence, advocate for themselves effectively, and pave the way for greater gender equality and empowerment in the business world. Kalina Bryant, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The luxury piece is available in both 14k white gold and yellow gold, featuring a pave diamond bale on a rope chain. Anna Tingley, Variety, 12 Feb. 2024 Argento Vino Small Round Personalized Signet Ring Emilia Clarke wore a stunning pave signet ring to this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Natalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2023 For a design that comes with a micro-pave diamond band, this classic engagement ring fits the bill. Kiana Murden, CNN Underscored, 3 Dec. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French paver, from Latin pavire to strike, pound; perhaps akin to Greek paiein to strike

Adjective

pavé from French, from past participle of paver to pave

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pave was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pave

Cite this Entry

“Pave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pave. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pave

verb
paved; paving
: to lay or cover with material (as stone or concrete) that forms a firm level surface for travel

More from Merriam-Webster on pave

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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