surface

surface
I. noun Etymology: French, from Middle French, from sur- + face face, from Old French — more at face Date: circa 1600 1. the exterior or upper boundary of an object or body <
on the surface of the water
> <
the earth's surface
> 2. a plane or curved two-dimensional locus of points (as the boundary of a three-dimensional region) <
plane surface
> <
surface of a sphere
> 3. a. the external or superficial aspect of something <
trouble lurks below the surface
> b. an external part or layer <
sanded the rough surfaces
> II. adjective Date: 1642 1. a. of, located on, or designed for use at the surface of something b. situated, transported, or employed on the surface of the earth <
surface mail
> <
surface vehicles
> 2. appearing to be such on the surface only ; superficial <
surface friendships
> III. verb (surfaced; surfacing) Date: 1778 transitive verb 1. to give a surface to: as a. to plane or make smooth b. to apply the surface layer to <
surface a highway
> 2. to bring to the surface <
surface a sunken ship
> intransitive verb 1. to work on or at the surface 2. to come to the surface 3. to come into public view ; show up <
letters that have recently surfaced
> • surfacer noun

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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. [1913 Webster] 2. To work over the surface or soil of, as ground, in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surface — Sur face, v. i. 1. To rise from the depths of a liquid to the surface; as, the submarine surfaced to recharge its batteries. [PJC] 2. To become known or public; said of information. [PJC] 3. To show up, as a person who was in hiding; as, he… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surface — This article discusses surfaces from the point of view of topology. For other uses, see Differential geometry of surfaces, algebraic surface, and Surface (disambiguation). An open surface with X , Y , and Z contours shown. In mathematics,… …   Wikipedia

  • SURFACE — n. f. Superficie, partie extérieure d’un corps, ce qui le limite dans l’espace. Surface plate, unie, raboteuse. La surface de la terre. La surface de l’eau. Une surface plane. Une surface concave. Une surface convexe. Mesures de surface. SURFACE… …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 8eme edition (1935)

  • SURFACE — s. f. Superficie, l extérieur, le dehors d un corps. Surface plate, unie, raboteuse. La surface de la terre. La surface de l eau. Une surface plane. Une surface concave. Une surface convexe. Cela présente une belle surface. Une grande surface de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 7eme edition (1835)

  • Surface — Seriendaten Deutscher Titel Surface – Unheimliche Tiefe Originaltitel Surface …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • surface — See: SCRATCH THE SURFACE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • surface — See: SCRATCH THE SURFACE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Surface science — is the study of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the interface of two phases, including solid liquid interfaces, solid gas interfaces, solid vacuum interfaces, and liquid gas interfaces. It includes the fields of surface chemistry… …   Wikipedia

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