pave

pave
    n 1: a setting with precious stones so closely set that no metal
         shows
    v 1: cover with a material such as stone or concrete to make
         suitable for vehicle traffic; "pave the roads in the
         village"
    

Pav'e \Pa`v['e]"\, n. [F., from paver to pave. See {Pave}.]
   The pavement.
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   {Nymphe du pav['e]}, a prostitute who solicits in the street;
      a streetwalker. [A low euphemism.]
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Pave \Pave\ (p[=a]v), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Paved} (p[=a]vd); p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Paving}.] [F. paver to pave, LL. pavare, from
   L. pavire to beat, ram, or tread down; cf. Gr. pai`ein to
   beat, strike.]
   1. To lay or cover with stone, brick, or other material, so
      as to make a firm, level, or convenient surface for
      vehicles, horses, carriages, or persons on foot, to travel
      on; to floor with brick, stone, or other solid material;
      as, to pave a street; to pave a court.
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            With silver paved, and all divine with gold.
                                                  --Dryden.
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            To pave thy realm, and smooth the broken ways.
                                                  --Gay.
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   2. Fig.: To make smooth, easy, and safe; to prepare, as a
      path or way; as, to pave the way to promotion; to pave the
      way for an enterprise.
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            It might open and pave a prepared way to his own
            title.                                --Bacon.
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18 Moby Thesaurus words for "pave":
      asphalt, blacktop, carpet, causeway, cement, cobblestone, concrete,
      cover, ease, facilitate, flag, floor, metal, pebble, surface, tar,
      tarmac, tile