Pav"an (?), n. [F. pavane; cf. It. & Sp. pavana, and Sp. pavon, pavo, a
peacock, L. pavo.] A stately and formal Spanish dance for which full
state costume is worn; -- so called from the resemblance of its
movements to those of the peacock. [Written also pavane, paven, pavian,
and pavin.]
||Pa`vÈ" (?), n. [F., from paver to pave. See Pave.] The pavement.
||Nymphe du pavÈ (&?;), a prostitute who solicits in the street. [A low
||euphemism.]
Pave (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Paved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Paving.] [F.
paver to pave, LL. pavare, from L. pavire to beat, ram, or tread down;
cf. Gr. &?; 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
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.
With silver paved, and all divine with gold.
Dryden.
To pave thy realm, and smooth the broken ways.
Gay.
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.
It might open and pave a prepared way to his own title.
Bacon.
Pave"ment (?), n. [F., fr. LL. pavamentum, L. pavimentum. See Pave.]
That with which anythingis paved; a floor or covering of solid
material, laid so as to make a hard and convenient surface for travel;
a paved road or sidewalk; a decorative interior floor of tiles or
colored bricks.
The riches of heaven's pavement, trodden gold.
Milton.
Pavement teeth (Zoˆl.), flattened teeth which in certain fishes, as the
skates and cestracionts, are arranged side by side, like tiles in a
pavement.
Pave"ment, v. t. To furnish with a pavement; to pave. [Obs.] "How
richly pavemented!" Bp. Hall.
Pav"en (?), n. See Pavan.
Pav"er (?), n. One who paves; one who lays a pavement. [Written also
pavier and pavior.]
Pav`e*sade" (?), n. [F. See Pavise.] A canvas screen, formerly
sometimes extended along the side of a vessel in a naval engagement, to
conceal from the enemy the operations on board.
{ Pa*vese" (?), Pa*vesse" (?) }, n. Pavise. [Obs.]
Pa"vi*age (?), n. (Law) A contribution or a tax for paving streets or
highways. Bouvier.
Pav"i*an (?), n. See Pavan.
Pav"id (?), a. [L. pavidus, from pavere to be afraid.] Timid; fearful.
[R.] Thackeray.