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8 dictionary results for: Surface

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

sur·face

[sur-fis] Pronunciation Key noun, adjective, verb, -faced, -fac·ing.

–noun

1.	the outer face, outside, or exterior boundary of a thing; outermost or uppermost layer or area.

2.	any face of a body or thing: the six surfaces of a cube.

3.	extent or area of outer face; superficial area.

4.	the outward appearance, esp. as distinguished from the inner nature: to look below the surface of a matter.

5.	Geometry. any figure having only two dimensions; part or all of the boundary of a solid.

6.	land or sea transportation, rather than air, underground, or undersea transportation.

7.	Aeronautics. an airfoil.

–adjective

8.	of, on, or pertaining to the surface; external.

9.	apparent rather than real; superficial: to be guilty of surface judgments.

10.	of, pertaining to, or via land or sea: surface mail.

11.	Linguistics. belonging to a late stage in the transformational derivation of a sentence; belonging to the surface structure.

–verb (used with object)

12.	to finish the surface of; give a particular kind of surface to; make even or smooth.

13.	to bring to the surface; cause to appear openly: Depth charges surfaced the sub. So far we've surfaced no applicants.

–verb (used without object)

14.	to rise to the surface: The submarine surfaced after four days.

15.	to work on or at the surface.

[Origin: 1605–15; < F, equiv. to sur- sur-¹ + face face, appar. modeled on L superficies superficies

]

—Related forms

sur·face·less, adjective

sur·fac·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

sur·face (sûr'fəs) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. The outer or the topmost boundary of an object.
2. A material layer constituting such a boundary.
3. The boundary of a three-dimensional figure.
4. The two-dimensional locus of points located in three-dimensional space.
5. A portion of space having length and breadth but no thickness.
Mathematics
1. The boundary of a three-dimensional figure.
2. The two-dimensional locus of points located in three-dimensional space.
3. A portion of space having length and breadth but no thickness.
The superficial or external aspect: "a flamboyant, powerful confidence man who lives entirely on the surface of experience" (Frank Conroy).
An airfoil.

adj.

Relating to, on, or at a surface: surface algae in the water.
Relating to or occurring on or near the surface of the earth.
1. Superficial.
2. Apparent as opposed to real.

v.   sur·faced, sur·fac·ing, sur·fac·es

v.   tr.
To provide with a surface or apply a surface to: surface a table with walnut; surface a road with asphalt.

v.   intr.

To rise to the surface.
To emerge after concealment.
To work or dig a mine at or near the surface of the ground.

[French : sur-, above (from Old French; see sur-) + face, face (from Old French; see face).]

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
surface

1611, from Fr. surface "outermost boundary of anything, outside part" (16c.), from O.Fr. sur- "above" + face (see face). Patterned on L. superficies "surface" (see superficial). The verb meaning "come to the surface" is first recorded 1898; earlier it meant "bring to the surface" (1885), and "to give something a polished surface" (1778).

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

surface
adjective
1.	on the surface; "surface materials of the moon" [ant: subsurface, overhead]
noun
1.	the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary; "there is a special cleaner for these surfaces"; "the cloth had a pattern of red dots on a white surface"
2.	the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object; "they skimmed over the surface of the water"; "a brush small enough to clean every dental surface"; "the sun has no distinct surface"
3.	the outermost level of the land or sea; "earthquakes originate far below the surface"; "three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water"
4.	a superficial aspect as opposed to the real nature of something; "it was not what it appeared to be on the surface"
5.	information that has become public; "all the reports were out in the open"; "the facts had been brought to the surface" [syn: open]
6.	a device that provides reactive force when in motion relative to the surrounding air; can lift or control a plane in flight [syn: airfoil]
verb
1.	come to the surface
2.	put a coat on; cover the surface of; furnish with a surface; "coat the cake with chocolate" [syn: coat]
3.	appear or become visible; make a showing; "She turned up at the funeral"; "I hope the list key is going to surface again" [syn: come on]

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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

surface

see on the surface; scratch the surface.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

surface sur·face (sûr'fəs)
n.
The outer or topmost part of a solid structure.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Surface

Sur"face`\, n. [F. See Sur-, and Face, and cf. Superficial.]

1. The exterior part of anything that has length and breadth; one of the limits that bound a solid, esp. the upper face; superficies; the outside; as, the surface of the earth; the surface of a diamond; the surface of the body.

The bright surface of this ethereous mold. --Milton.

2. Hence, outward or external appearance.

Vain and weak understandings, which penetrate no deeper than the surface. --V. Knox.

3. (Geom.) A magnitude that has length and breadth without thickness; superficies; as, a plane surface; a spherical surface.

4. (Fort.) That part of the side which is terminated by the flank prolonged, and the angle of the nearest bastion. --Stocqueler.

Caustic surface, Heating surface, etc. See under Caustic, Heating, etc.

Surface condensation, Surface condenser. See under Condensation, and Condenser.

Surface gauge (Mach.), an instrument consisting of a standard having a flat base and carrying an adjustable pointer, for gauging the evenness of a surface or its height, or for marking a line parallel with a surface.

Surface grub (Zo["o]l.), the larva of the great yellow underwing moth (Triph[oe]na pronuba). It is often destructive to the roots of grasses and other plants.

Surface plate (Mach.), a plate having an accurately dressed flat surface, used as a standard of flatness by which to test other surfaces.

Surface printing, printing from a surface in relief, as from type, in distinction from plate printing, in which the ink is contained in engraved lines.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Surface

Sur"face\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surfaced; p. pr. & vb. n. Surfacing.]

1. To give a surface to; especially, to cause to have a smooth or plain surface; to make smooth or plain.

2. To work over the surface or soil of, as ground, in hunting for gold.

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