pavais

Alternative forms

• pavesse
• pavese
• pavise

Etymology

From Old French pavaix, French pavois; compare Italian pavese, Latin pavense; perhaps named from Pavia in Italy.

Noun

pavais (plural pavaises)

1. (military, historical) A very large shield covering a soldier from head to foot, often with a projecting ridge running vertically down the center.
   • 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 27:

     The pavais, pavache, or tallevas was a large shield, or rather a portable mantlet, capable of covering a man from head to foot, and probably of sufficient thickness to resist the missive weapons then in use.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pa.ve/

Verb

pavais

1. first-person singular imperfect indicative of paver
2. second-person singular imperfect indicative of paver