Idiom
pave the way
Meaning
To make future progress or development easier.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Her hard work paved the way for a promotion.”
“The early experiments paved the way for modern medicine.”
“The treaty, signed after years of negotiation, paved the way for peaceful relations between the two nations.”
Examples
simple
“Her hard work paved the way for a promotion.”
contextual
“The early experiments paved the way for modern medicine.”
complex
“The treaty, signed after years of negotiation, paved the way for peaceful relations between the two nations.”
Origin
Derived from the literal practice of laying a paved path to facilitate easier and smoother travel for those following the route. The figurative use rests upon the transition from uneven ground to a prepared surface, ensuring that subsequent progress requires less effort than the initial clearing.
Key words
Related idioms
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