pave the way for

pave the way (for someone or something)

To create a situation in which it is easier for someone to do something or something to happen. Pioneers like her paved the way for women to have careers in the sciences. With their star quarterback paving the way, they look to be on their way to another championship appearance. Everyone knows your father paved the way for you to get into this school with his money and connections.
See also: pave, someone, way
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

pave the way (for someone or something) (with something)

Fig. to prepare the way with something for someone to come or something to happen. (Alludes to paving a road.) I will pave the way for her with an introduction. I am sure I can pave the way for your success. I will pave the way with an introduction.
See also: pave, way
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

pave the way

Make progress or development easier, as in Her findings paved the way for developing a new vaccine. This expression alludes to paving a road so it is easier to travel on. [Late 1500s]
See also: pave, way
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pave the way

COMMON If one thing paves the way for another, the first thing makes it easier for the second to happen. A peace agreement last year paved the way for this week's elections. The deal is likely to pave the way for further corporate sponsorship of the event.
See also: pave, way
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

pave the way for

create the circumstances to enable something to happen or be done.
See also: for, pave, way
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

ˌpave the ˈway (for somebody/something)

make the arrival of somebody/something easier; prepare for somebody/something: Babbage’s early work on calculating machines in the nineteenth century paved the way for the development of computers.
See also: pave, way
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

pave the way

To make progress or development easier: experiments that paved the way for future research.
See also: pave, way
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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References in classic literature ?
Their governors and preceptors also should take care what sort of tales and stories it may be proper for them to hear; for all these ought to pave the way for their future instruction: for which reason the generality of their play should be imitations of what they are afterwards to do seriously.
View in context
hmm." What authentic insight, for we often forget that one cannot "make another learn" but, rather, we can open the doors for them and pave the way for learning to happen.
Polyphony: re-evaluating in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
A new engineered protein known as GE2 may pave the way for future advances in allergy treatment.
Engineering allergy relief? (Molecular Biology)
They induce anthropologist Andrea Mitchell to go back to earlier times at the Scottish border in order to study their ways and to pave the way for trade.
Price, Susan. The Sterkarm handshake
But his hints helped pave the way for today's openness
Noel, Noel
As scientists unravel the chemistry and physics of cements and pave the way for inventing new materials, they must find ways to inject their new ideas into the conventional concrete industry.
Hard science: researchers are paving the way for innovative cement materials
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