Dictionary


sur•face



Pronunciation: (sûr'fis), [key]
—n., adj., v., -faced, -fac•ing.

—n.
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. Geom.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. Aeron.an airfoil.

—adj.
1. of, on, or pertaining to the surface; external.
2. apparent rather than real; superficial: to be guilty of surface judgments.
3. of, pertaining to, or via land or sea: surface mail.
4. Ling.belonging to a late stage in the transformational derivation of a sentence; belonging to the surface structure.

—v.t.
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.

—v.i.
1. to rise to the surface: The submarine surfaced after four days.
2. to work on or at the surface.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

surfsurface-active agent
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