Word
pave
US/ˈpeɪv/
UK/pˈeɪv/
Definitions
01to cover a surface
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to cover a path, road, or area of ground with a hard surface like stone, brick, or concrete.
v. to cover a surface with flat stones, concrete, or asphalt to create a durable thoroughfare or floor.
“The workers are going to pave the driveway with grey stones next week.”
“The city council decided to pave the historic market square with traditional cobblestones to maintain its nineteenth-century aesthetic.”
02to prepare the way
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to make it easier for something to happen or for someone to do something in the future.
v. to create the circumstances that allow a future development to happen; almost exclusively used in the phrase 'pave the way'.
“This new medical discovery could pave the way for a cure.”
“The successful pilot programme helped pave the way for a national rollout of the new educational policy.”
Synonyms
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the surface being covered.
Pitfall
pave with stones the road
pave the road with stones
The direct object (the road) should immediately follow the verb before the prepositional phrase describing the material.
Etymology
From Old French paver (“to pave, to cover”), from Vulgar Latin *pavāre (“to beat down, to smash”), from Latin pavīre (“to beat, strike, ram, tread down”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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