surface

surface
sur|face1 W1S2 [ˈsə:fıs US ˈsə:r-] n
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
1¦(water/land)¦
2¦(outside/top layer)¦
3¦(person/situation etc)¦
4¦(for working on)¦
5¦(side of an object)¦
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
[Date: 1600-1700; : French; Origin: sur- ( SURCHARGE) + face 'face']
1.) ¦(WATER/LAND)¦
the top layer of an area of water or land
surface of
▪ Dead leaves floated on the surface of the water.
▪ Nearly 10 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by ice.
▪ Gas bubbles in any liquid tend to rise to the surface .
beneath/under/below the surface
▪ The tunnel was some 300 feet below the surface.
2.) ¦(OUTSIDE/TOP LAYER)¦
the outside or top layer of something
surface of
▪ the surface of the vase
▪ The road surfaces tend to be worse in the towns than in the country.
▪ a frying pan with a non-stick surface
on sth's surface
▪ mold growing on the cheese's surface
3.) ¦(PERSON/SITUATION ETC)¦
the surface
the qualities, emotions etc of someone or something that are easy to notice, but which are not the only or not the real qualities, emotions etc
on the surface
▪ On the surface, it seems a simple story.
▪ Half an hour later Enid had calmed down, at least on the surface .
beneath the surface
▪ I sensed a lot of tension and jealousy beneath the surface.
▪ Prejudice is never far beneath the surface (=often appears) in the region.
rise/be brought/come to the surface
▪ Violence has risen to the surface in the inner-city.
4.) ¦(FOR WORKING ON)¦
a flat area on the top of a cupboard, table, desk etc, that you use for cooking or working on
work/kitchen surface
▪ Keep kitchen surfaces clean and tidy.
▪ Work on a clean, flat surface.
5.) ¦(SIDE OF AN OBJECT)¦
one of the sides of an object
▪ How many surfaces does a cube have?
→scratch the surface at ↑scratch1 (8)
surface 2
surface2 v
1.)
if information, feelings, or problems surface, they become known about or easy to notice
surface in
▪ Rumors about the killings have begun to surface in the press.
▪ the jealousy that had surfaced in her
2.) [I]
if someone or something surfaces, they suddenly appear somewhere, especially after being gone or hidden for a long time
= ↑pop up
▪ Last year Toole surfaced again in Cuba.
3.) [I]
to rise to the surface of water
▪ divers surfacing near the boat
4.) [I] [i]BrE informal to get out of bed, especially late
▪ Joe never surfaces before midday on Sunday.
5.) [T]
to put a surface on a road
surface 3
surface3 adj [only before noun]
1.) relating to the part of the army, navy etc that travels by land or on the sea, rather than by air or under the sea
▪ the Navy's surface forces
2.) appearing to be true or real, but not representing what someone really feels or what something is really like
▪ Beneath the surface calm, she felt very insecure.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • surface — [ syrfas ] n. f. • 1611; superface 1521; lat. superficies → superficie; de sur et face 1 ♦ Partie extérieure (d un corps), qui le limite en tous sens. ⇒ face. La surface de la Terre, la surface terrestre. À la surface du sol. « une surface pure… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • 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 — [sʉr′fis] n. [Fr < sur (see SUR 1) + face,FACE, based on L superficies] 1. a) the outer face, or exterior, of an object b) any of the faces of a solid c) the area or extent of such a face …   English World dictionary

  • surface — 1610s, from Fr. surface outermost boundary of anything, outside part (16c.), from O.Fr. sur above + face (see FACE (Cf. face)). Patterned on L. superficies surface (see SUPERFICIAL (Cf. superficial)). The verb meaning come to the surface is first …   Etymology dictionary

  • surface — ► NOUN 1) the outside part or uppermost layer of something. 2) the upper limit of a body of liquid. 3) outward appearance as distinct from less obvious aspects. ► ADJECTIVE 1) relating to or occurring on the surface. 2) (of transportation) by sea …   English terms dictionary

  • 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 — [adj] external apparent, covering, depthless, exterior, facial, outer, outside, outward, shallow, shoal, superficial, top; concepts 485,583 Ant. central, core, inside, interior, middle surface [n] external part of something area, cover, covering …   New thesaurus

  • surface — Surface. subst. f. L exterieur, le dehors d un corps. Surface platte, unie, raboteuse. la surface de la terre …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • 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 — (fr., spr. Sürfahs), die Oberfläche …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • surface — index bare, cursory, dimension, emerge, issue (send forth), ostensible, side, superficial …   Law dictionary

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