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Glite Dictionary
to carve a path

to carve a path

1 4.2
To make a way through something, physically or by creating new opportunities
  • phrasal verb
  • /kɑrv ə pæθ/
translation icon : abrir un camino
  • America 2000 was never enacted, but it did carve a path for Clinton's Goals 2000 proposal, which supported states' development of standards (NYSED, 2009).

Examples

  • Two more canoes carved a path to the shore and beached upstream.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Seth continues carving a path to the front door by slamming the hammer stake into vampire chests.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Or, we can kick open that door and the four of us can hit 'em with everything we have and carve a path right through 'em to the front entrance.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Donna Willard-Jones carves a path.

    Academic text (2003)

  • A trickle of water carving a path down a hill must take the easiest route available, not the route that would, at a later date, serve its needs better.

    Blog text (8)

  • The burden of getting the whales to the ridge... falls to a cock-eyed coalition of whale hunters and whale lovers... who must carve a path in record-time... and pray the whales follow their lead.

    Big Miracle (2012)

  • The explorers had to carve a path through the dense jungle to reach the hidden waterfall.

  • By launching her own business, she hopes to carve a path for other women entrepreneurs in the industry.

  • The team worked hard to carve a path towards a solution that would benefit everyone involved.

Synonyms

to pave the way
vsto carve a path
56 3.7

Make it possible or easier for something to happen by getting things ready

involves actively making a passage or advancing rather than only preparing others
to carve out
vsto carve a path
23 4.6

Make a place for yourself in a job or field by working hard

includes making a way forward both literally and figuratively, not only self-made
to trailblaze
vsto carve a path
6.9

Make a new path through wild land by clearing plants and marking the route

focuses also on making progress generally, not only in wild places
to pave one's way
vsto carve a path
5.4

Create chances to move forward in your career

can mean opening a route generally, not only personal career opportunity

Antonyms

to block
∞ 3.0

To stop movement, access, or progress

to halt
206 2.4

To stop moving or make something stop moving

How Pioneering

to blaze a trail
  • Informal
4 5.3
to pioneer
66 5.1
to carve a path
1 4.2
path
824 2.1

Surface Forms

carve a path infinitive
carved a path past
carved a path past participle
carving a path present participle
carves a path third person singular

Morphology

carve + a + path

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'carve' (to cut or make) with 'path' (a route): literally making a passage and metaphorically creating a way forward follow the same compositional logic. This figurative extension is a straightforward and common metaphor (make/open a way) across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will very likely infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The phrase carve a path may come from the image of someone using a tool to carve through trees or rock to make a path. That clear picture of making a way forward is why we use it to mean 'to create a route' or 'to make progress'.