paver

Forms

paver^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *pavō (“to pave, to level”), a verb inferred from Old Occitan pavar and thought to come, with a change of conjugation, from Latin paviō (“to beat, ram, level (the ground)”), used in the technical phrase ⟨pavire terram⟩ “to level the ground”.^{[2][3][4][5][1]} Since the Latin etymologist Festus, the Latin verb has often been compared with Ancient Greek παίω (paíō, “to strike”), but the ⟨v⟩ is not explained and the origin remains obscure.^[3][6] Rey sets beside it paveō (“to be terrified”), the source of épouvante and impavide.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as the past participle pavé “paved, tiled” about 1160, in the Roman d'Eneas.^[2][3] Littré quotes a 12th-century line from Raoul de Cambrai with la sale pavée, “the paved hall”.^[6]

Semantic evolution

The verb itself, “to cover with paving stones, to tile”, is recorded from 1265, in Jean de Meun.^[3][7] From about 1200 the passive être pavé de meant “to be covered or strewn with”, and the classical phrase les rues en sont pavées (1623) says that something is everywhere and commonplace.^[2][3] The proverb l'enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions was probably first formed in Latin.^[3]

In Quebec the verb covers any kind of paving, asphalt included.^[1] Anglo-Norman paver is recorded from 1194–99, and the Anglo-Norman Dictionary links it with English pave.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 1160 – The past participle pavé appears in the Roman d'Eneas.^[2]
• c. 1200 – Estre pavé de “to be strewn with” is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1265 – The infinitive is recorded, in Jean de Meun.^[3][9]
• 1623 – Les rues en sont pavées is used figuratively.^[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To pave: to cover a floor, road or street with pavés, flagstones, bricks or mosaic.^[10][2]
2. (Quebec) To pave in any way, including with asphalt.^[1]
3. (figurative) Être pavé de: to be strewn with something;^[2][7] les rues en sont pavées, there is plenty of it everywhere.^[2][7]

Word family

• pavage
• pavé
• paveur
• dépaver
• repaver

Related words

• pavement
• Latin paviō

Usage notes

Littré records the technical phrases paver à sec (on sand, without mortar) and paver à bain de mortier.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 81a
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
9. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert