51Թ

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View synonyms for

surface

[sur-fis]

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, especially 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

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

  2. apparent rather than real; superficial.

    to be guilty of surface judgments.

  3. of, relating to, or via land or sea.

    surface mail.

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

verb (used with object)

surfaced, surfacing 
  1. to finish the surface of; give a particular kind of surface to; make even or smooth.

  2. 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)

surfaced, surfacing 
  1. to rise to the surface.

    The submarine surfaced after four days.

  2. to work on or at the surface.

surface

/ ˈɜːɪ /

noun

    1. the exterior face of an object or one such face

    2. ( as modifier )

      surface gloss

    1. the area or size of such a face

    2. ( as modifier )

      surface measurements

  1. material resembling such a face, with length and width but without depth

    1. the superficial appearance as opposed to the real nature

    2. ( as modifier )

      a surface resemblance

  2. geometry

    1. the complete boundary of a solid figure

    2. a continuous two-dimensional configuration

    1. the uppermost level of the land or sea

    2. ( as modifier )

      surface transportation

  3. to emerge; become apparent

  4. to all appearances

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to rise or cause to rise to or as if to the surface (of water, etc)

  2. (tr) to treat the surface of, as by polishing, smoothing, etc

  3. (tr) to furnish with a surface

  4. (intr) mining

    1. to work at or near the ground surface

    2. to wash surface ore deposits

  5. (intr) to become apparent; emerge

  6. informal(intr)

    1. to wake up

    2. to get up

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • surfaceless adjective
  • surfacer noun
  • nonsurface noun
  • unsurfaced adjective
  • ˈܰڲ noun
  • ˈܰڲ adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of surface1

First recorded in 1605–15; from French; equivalent to sur- 1 + face; apparently modeled on Latin superficies superficies
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of surface1

C17: from French, from sur on + face face , probably on the model of Latin superficies
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Idioms and Phrases

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Yet beneath the surface, Keen's new factory tells a far more complicated story about what manufacturing in America really looks like today.

From

But Spaun birdied the 17th to move one clear and then produced his moment of magic on the final green to send the drenched masses surround the putting surface wild.

From

"What kind of surfaces should we be developing? What kind of areas? Where do we put light, where do we not put light?"

From

Clinton was the first president to perceive the powerful will and lust for dominance beneath Netanyahu’s telegenic surface, but he certainly wasn’t the last.

From

That being said, the drive has been bubbling considerably beneath the surface.

From

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surfsurface acoustic wave