Definition of surface in English:

1The outside part or uppermost layer of something.

1. 1.1The level top of something.
   ‘roll out the dough on a floured surface’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Assemble the table on a level surface, turn the top wheel upside down and place the seat wheel on top of it.’
   • ‘To start the engine hold the saw firmly in a position on a level surface by putting the right foot in the handle and making sure the chain is clear.’
   • ‘Make sure to position barbecues on firm, level surfaces before starting to cook and never carry or move a lit barbecue.’
   • ‘All level surfaces are covered with stacks of books and DVDs, and a thick layer of dust sits on anything I'm not immediately using.’
   • ‘Level surfaces for push-ups, burpees and crunches are also abundant.’
   • ‘Slab sawing, flat sawing and floor sawing are done on reasonably level surfaces.’
   • ‘Begin by placing the cordial container on a level surface to allow the sediment to settle.’
   • ‘Simple single-basin distillers work best on flat, level surfaces, and can be constructed fairly easily.’
   • ‘All you need to provide is a level surface, a power supply and about £7,000.’
   • ‘Using a small spoon, sprinkle the surface with sago flour.’
   • ‘Turn out the mixture on to a surface lightly dusted with flour and shape into a round of about 2.5cm thick.’
   • ‘Lay the ladder down on its side on a level surface, then park the mower right on top of the ladder legs.’
   • ‘Set the peel on a level surface and dust with about 2 tbsp of cornmeal.’
   • ‘It was important for the candle to sit on a level surface and not turn over when it was lit.’
   • ‘In each case, when it came time to start rolling, I first lightly floured the rolling surface.’
   • ‘What's the advice that books always give after they tell you to lightly flour your baking surface?’
   • ‘Add just enough flour to the rolling surface to keep the dough from sticking.’
   • ‘Her father had saved it since the smooth, flat surface was still workable.’
   • ‘Creating a flat, smooth surface is a skill that some finishers develop quickly, while others never do.’
   • ‘Knead it by hand a couple of times on a flat, floured surface.’
   Synonyms

   worktop, top, working top, work surface, counter, table, stand, horizontal surface

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2. 1.2The area of an outer part or uppermost layer of something.
   ‘the surface area of a cube’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Untouched wild places have now shrunk to one-sixth of the Earth's land surface.’
3. 1.3The upper limit of a body of liquid.
   ‘fish floating on the surface of the water’
   More example sentences

   • ‘It is universally understood that heaving a major portion of your body over the surface of the water is a tough thing to do.’
   • ‘Why can we see beneath water whereas the ray of vision reflects off opaque bodies and the surface of water is opaque?’
   • ‘She was veiled in a dark cloak, billowing around her slim body and skimming the surface of the water.’
   • ‘Although they are rather tough, the bulk of the plant is limited to the water surface.’
   • ‘Packages are shaped and sealed below the surface of the liquid to lock out air space in the package.’
   • ‘The meniscus is the curved, upper surface of a liquid formed when in a tube.’
   • ‘This gives the surface of the sea water a real froth, and fills the room with an ozone tang as sharp as if you had jammed your nose in a giant photocopier.’
   • ‘As Pen stared into the darkness she began to see images float across it like leaves across the surface of a body of water.’
   • ‘The surface of the liquid undulated gently, then more insistently, looking, not just a little, as though it were alive.’
   • ‘The pollution is immense, and there are pieces or rubbish floating on the surface of the water.’
   • ‘The blue light flashed across the water's surface, turning her body different shades of blues and aquas.’
   • ‘Then her gaze shifted to the insects that were skimming the surface of the water like it was glass.’
   • ‘Most of the pictorial interest here is concentrated in the reflective surface of the water.’
   • ‘However, if it rains, then the surface of their pond becomes rippled.’
   • ‘Avoid installing directly under trees where leaves will clutter the surface of the pond.’
   • ‘The surface of a pond represents mental possibility, everything you imagine you could attain.’
4. 1.4in singular The outward appearance of someone or something, especially as distinct from less obvious aspects.
   ‘Tom was a womanizer, but on the surface he remained respectable’
   as modifier ‘surface appearances’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Both see the lasting truth beneath the surface of mere outward appearance.’
   • ‘What distinguished many of the Young British Artists was their reluctance to probe beyond the surface of appearance.’
   • ‘We peer deep beneath the surface of appearances, and far into the cosmic past.’
   • ‘For him, enlightenment can be attained with a simple cruise along the surface of appearance.’
   • ‘The rage that sits just below the surface of civil society comes closest to the skin at the front lines of retail.’
   • ‘It's only because of this carefree approach to life that this crime-ridden society appears on the surface to be normal.’
   • ‘This difference is the source of surplus value, which appears on the surface of society in the form of profit, interest and rent.’
   • ‘One moves on, yet the pains and joys remain below the surface for years and cannot really be discussed.’
   • ‘Part of its success is what lies below the surface of society.’
   • ‘Often after a loss, a storm of inner turmoil and stress remains just below the surface.’
   • ‘Gillian's character, Lady Dedlock, is a society beauty and on the surface appears icy cool.’
   • ‘On the surface, the obvious answer seems to be affirmative.’
   • ‘Young artists of this era rarely try to get the gist of their times by describing surface appearances.’
   • ‘Organised religion in this, the world's most populous Muslim country, is often seen as little more than a veneer on the surface of society.’
   • ‘Obviously violence is there just under the surface in every society.’
   • ‘It's just a metaphor for self-awareness and seeing what's beyond the surface.’
   • ‘This is an intriguing study based on a wealth of knowledge combined with a capacity to see beyond the surface to the truths that lie beneath.’
   • ‘The camera never tries to go beyond the surface, leaving that to the audience.’
   • ‘I despair that the public doesn't seem to be able to consider anything beyond the surface.’
   • ‘If you look, you can read a story in a face, but the motive of this project has been to explore beyond the surface, past the face.’
   Synonyms

   outward appearance, superficial appearance, facade

   at first glance, to the casual eye, outwardly, to all appearances, apparently, ostensibly, superficially, externally, visibly

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2Geometry
A continuous set of points that has length and breadth but no thickness.

1Relating to or found on the surface of something.

1. 1.1Denoting ships which travel on the surface of the water as distinct from submarines.
   ‘the surface fleet’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The primary mission of Neustrashimy Class frigates is to combat submarines and surface ships.’
   • ‘Testing surface ships by submarines is just one of the facets of RIMPAC 04.’
   • ‘It was the second participation by a surface ship of the Royal Navy.’
   • ‘The only Navy left should be a fleet of submarines and a few surface ships on par with Coast Guard cutters.’
   • ‘The most obvious of these was probably the naval combat involving both surface vessels and submarines.’
   • ‘Any new orders could be acted on by surface ships - submarines were not in a position to get any new orders let alone act on them.’
   • ‘The RAN sent surface ships Newcastle, Success and Parramatta and the submarine Rankin.’
   • ‘Flooding in a submarine can present even more drastic problems than on a surface ship.’
   • ‘It was the first attack by a British submarine on a surface vessel since World War II.’
   • ‘Such ideas have predictably drawn fire from officers who see them as a threat to existing surface ship programs.’
   • ‘Destroyers used to be for a long time one of the most numerous classes of surface ships.’
   • ‘If he wants to be a surface ship killer, he can choose a variant that allows him to do that.’
   • ‘The relationship between surface fleet and submarines did not improve during the war.’
   • ‘It would be easier to send down one of the robot vehicles, unmanned but tethered to a surface ship, with cameras and that sort of thing.’
   • ‘The surface ship will get underway and then we'll be ready to go.’
   • ‘On current trends, manned aircraft and big surface ships may well disappear within a few more decades.’
   • ‘By 2020, as noted already, Navy surface warships might well number scarcely more than ninety.’
   • ‘It's ultimately the responsibility of the submarine to remain clear of surface vessels.’
   • ‘I realised that it had to be a surface vessel, but could not work out how it could be so noisy at depth.’
   • ‘Anti-submarine warfare is an area where the advantage swings between the surface fleet and the submerged boats.’
2. 1.2Carried by or denoting transportation by sea or overland rather than by air.
   ‘surface mail’
   More example sentences

   • ‘And Little England gears to upgrade surface transportation in readiness for the cricket World Cup.’
   • ‘In the morning we will fly on to Yundum airport and take surface transportation into Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.’
   • ‘We should just switch to IM-based communication, and treat email like fax or surface mail.’
   • ‘The demand from drug gangs for firearms has created a trade in cheap lethal weapons, easily imported, often even sent by surface mail.’
   • ‘She prepared the package and sent it by surface mail because of the huge cost of postage for air mail, then we both sat back to wait.’
   • ‘One of our suppliers despatched a small parcel to us by surface mail on September 30.’
   • ‘These included air access and regional airport ownership surface transport and estuary development.’
   • ‘Two thousand two hundred questionnaires were distributed by e-mail, and 275 were sent by surface mail.’
   • ‘Instead, users have to download and fill in a coupon and then send it via surface mail.’
   • ‘I was referring to the surface transport costs and charges study commissioned by the Ministry of Transport.’

1no object Rise or come up to the surface of the water or the ground.

1. 1.1Come to people's attention; become apparent.
   ‘the row first surfaced two years ago’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Had they both had a chance of success, the issue might have surfaced and received the real attention which the main parties tried to stifle.’
   • ‘Two main issues have surfaced with the presence of IM on corporate networks.’
   • ‘A last-minute story has surfaced, designed apparently to damage the Bush effort for the presidency.’
   • ‘Occasionally, nuggets of dark humour surfaced unexpectedly in an apparently innocent routine, sending a shockwave through her audience.’
   • ‘Now, a new challenger has surfaced, one that apparently will not stop until it attains supremacy or is eliminated.’
   • ‘Prejudices instilled in us long ago had surfaced with frightening force in a totally different context, many miles and several decades away from the conditions that created them.’
   • ‘As a democratic ‘rule of law’ issue, it surfaces again and again.’
   • ‘For the 62-year-old Howard, who already has served two three-year terms, those issues could not have surfaced at a better moment.’
   • ‘The students did an amazing job, and more issues and emotions surfaced in those two hours than in a semester's worth of most academic work.’
   • ‘I know that disability was an issue that surfaced quite a bit during the election campaign, and it hurt the Government parties as much as any other issue did.’
   • ‘The issue first surfaced when there was that 18-18 tie after the 2001 general election.’
   • ‘Apologists for high tax rates are surfacing again in the media.’
   • ‘He could even laugh about rumors that surfaced recently on the Internet that he had died.’
   • ‘Rumors surface periodically that he's on the way out.’
   • ‘Allegations in respect of these conversations first surfaced at a much later date.’
   • ‘Visa problems first surfaced for PSA squash players at the US Open last December in Boston.’
   • ‘Doubts about the consciousness of animals occasionally surfaced even in classical antiquity.’
   • ‘I'm sure some pictures will surface soon.’
   • ‘The passage that I had read years ago surfaced in my mind.’
   • ‘We protect ourselves by never letting these mutually exclusive beliefs surface at the same time.’
   Synonyms

   emerge, arise, appear, come to light, come up, come into sight, come into view, come out, crop up, materialize, become visible, spring up, loom

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2. 1.2informal (of a person) appear after having been asleep.
   ‘it was almost 11.30 before Anthony surfaced’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The scene was still and quiet, but all the same I had surfaced from my dreams nervously, with heavy breathing.’
   Synonyms

   get up, get out of bed, appear, rise, wake, awaken

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2with object Provide (something, especially a road) with a particular surface.