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Surface
Examples
He used a soft cloth to clean the dusty surface of the bookshelf.
The artist painted intricate patterns on the surface of the canvas.
02
(geometry) any of the two-dimensional faces of a three-dimensional figure
Examples
A cube has six identical square surfaces.
Calculate the area of each surface of the rectangular prism.
03
the outermost level of the land or sea
04
the outward appearance or the visible part of a person, thing, or situation, which may not reflect its true nature
Examples
They only saw the surface of the situation and did n’t realize the challenges.
On the surface, they were the perfect couple, but there were many problems beneath.
05
information that has become public
06
a device that provides reactive force when in motion relative to the surrounding air; can lift or control a plane in flight
to surface
01
to emerge or come up to the top layer of a liquid or material
Intransitive
Examples
As the diver exhaled, a stream of bubbles surfaced, indicating the ascent to the water's top.
The submarine slowly surfaced, its conning tower breaking through the water.
02
to become apparent or come into view, often after being hidden or unnoticed
Intransitive
Examples
Despite trying to hide his feelings, a flicker of sadness surfaced in his eyes.
As the investigation progressed, previously unknown details about the case began to surface.
03
to apply asphalt, concrete, gravel, or another material to the top of a road, path, or other ground area
Transitive: to surface sth with sth
Examples
The workers surfaced the road with asphalt to make it smoother for traffic.
Many rural routes are still not properly surfaced and become muddy in the rain.
surface
Examples
The surface temperature of the pavement was high due to the intense sunlight.
They examined the surface features of the rock to identify its origin.
02
located on the outermost layer of something
Examples
The surface layer of the soil was rich with nutrients for planting.
Surface scratches on the table can be polished out with a bit of wax.
Lexical Tree
undersurface
surface
