pave the cowpath
Appearance
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Reflecting the theme that some paved roads of the 20th and 21st centuries were developed over existing rights of way such as earlier cowpaths and footpaths; see also Wikipedia at desire path.
Verb
[edit]pave the cowpath (third-person singular simple present paves the cowpath, present participle paving the cowpath, simple past and past participle paved the cowpath)
- (figurative) To formalize an existing de-facto practice.