Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Surface
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 surface
of a diamond; the surface
of the bodyThe bright
surface
of this ethereous mold. Milton.
2.
Hence, outward or external appearance.
Vain and weak understandings, which penetrate no deeper than the
surface
. V. Knox.
3.
(Geom.)
A magnitude that has length and breadth without thickness; superficies;
as, a plane
. surface
; a spherical surface
4.
(Fort.)
That part of the side which is terminated by the flank prolonged, and the angle of the nearest bastion.
Stocqueler.
Caustic surface
, Heating surface
Surface condensation
, Surface condenser
See under
– Condensation
, and Condenser
. Surface gauge
(Mach.)
, an instrument consisting of a standard having a flat base and carrying an adjustable pointer, for gauging the evenness of a surface or its height, or for marking a line parallel with a surface.
– Surface grub
(Zool.)
, the larva of the great yellow underwing moth (
– Triphoena pronuba
). It is often destructive to the roots of grasses and other plants. Surface plate
(Mach.)
, a plate having an accurately dressed flat surface, used as a standard of flatness by which to test other surfaces.
– Surface printing
, printing from a surface in relief, as from type, in distinction from plate printing, in which the ink is contained in engraved lines.
Sur′face
,Verb.
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.
2.
To work over the surface or soil of, as ground, in hunting for gold.
Webster 1828 Edition
Surface
SUR'FACE
,Noun.