I. ˈsərfə̇s, ˈsə̄f-, ˈsəif- noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, from sur- + face, from Old French — more at face
1. : the exterior or outside of an object or body : the outermost or uppermost boundary : one or more of the faces of a three-dimensional thing : a plane of a solid
the uneven surface of the earth
on the surface of the water
planks with a rough surface
the octagonal surfaces of a diamond
2. : a two-dimensional locus of points : the boundary or portion of the boundary of a three-dimensional region
a plane surface
a spherical surface
3. : something held to resemble the surface of an object or body:
a. : the part of something that is presented to a viewer with little or no examination : the outward appearance or characteristics of something : the external aspect
the surface of society
deep beneath the surface of the legal system — B.N.Cardozo
b. : someone or something without depth : a mere outside : one that is superficial in nature
4. : a complete airfoil used for sustentation or control or to increase stability
5. : the condition of a railroad track marked by vertical evenness or smoothness over short distances
the track is in surface
6.
a. : printing surface
autographic works printed from surfaces actually produced by the artist — Barnett Freedman
printing done from relief surfaces
b. : stone 1b(11)
•
- on the surface
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to give a surface to: as
a. : to plane (as lumber) or make smooth
b. : to apply the surface layer to
the towers are surfaced with steel plates — American Guide Series: New York City
surface a highway
c. : to finish (as furniture or a marble slab) especially by polishing or varnishing
d. : to give a usually specified surface to
walls surfaced with cream stucco — American Guide Series: North Carolina
2. : to bring to the surface
two wells … surface more than 6,000 gallons of water a minute — Gaston Burridge
intransitive verb
1. : to work on or at the surface — used especially of a gold digger who works the ground superficially or a tracklayer who brings the top of the rail to a true grade line
2. : to come or rise to the surface (as of the water)
a submarine surfaced outside the harbor
a subway downtown, the line surfaces after three miles — A.H.Brown
the truth began to surface — Robert Jackson
III. adjective
1.
a. : of, located on, or designed for use at the surface of something
designing surface instruments for the detection of oil deposits — W.J.Reilly
surface forces
surface vessels
surface runoff of water
b. : situated on the surface of the earth rather than in the air or underground
surface transportation
surface communications
c.
(1) : of or relating to surface mail
surface postage
(2) : handled as surface mail
surface parcel post
2. : acting upon or against a surface
a surface grinder
3. : working at or near the surface
surface mining
: worked at or near the surface
surface mines
4.
a. : appearing on the surface only : lacking depth
accurate surface realism — R.A.Cordell
improvements in surface conditions but not in fundamental weaknesses
b. : superficial
surface friendships