Pl. superficies; also 6–7 -ficiesses. [a. L. superficiēs, f. super- SUPER- 3 + faciēs FACE sb.]
1. Geom. A magnitude of two dimensions, having only length and breadth; that which forms the boundary or one of the boundaries of a solid, or separates one part of space from another; a surface.
1530. Rastell, Bk. Purgat., II. xx. e 2 b. A superfycyes is that which hath but length and brede & no maner of thyckenes.
1570. Billingsley, Euclid, I. Def. vi. 2. The extremnes or limites of a bodye are superficiesses.
1612. Bacon, Ess., Seeming Wise (Arb.), 214. It is a ridiculous thing … to see what shifts these formalists haue … to make Superficies to seeme body, that hath depth and bulke.
1662. Hobbes, Seven Prob., Wks. 1845, VII. 67. Many lines set together make a superficies though their breadth be insensible.
1684. Ash, in Phil. Trans., XIV. 673. 2 angles or superficies are equal when one being put on the other, it neither exceeds, nor is exceeded.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. xiii. § 13. To divide and separate actually is, as I think, by removing the parts one from another, to make two Superficies, where before there was a Continuity.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 703. To know the names of differently shaped superficies and solids, as circles, triangles, parallelograms, cubes, &c.
1831. Brewster, Optics, xiv. 114. To allow them [sc. rays] to pack into a spherical superficies as they converge to their poles or points of origin.
2. The outer surface of a hody, which is apparent to the eye, or is immediately adjacent to the air or to another body.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist., II. xvii. 30. So that the externall shewe of wordes, resemble the superficyes of the body.
1590. Greene, Mourn. Garm., Wks. (Grosart), IX. 169. The eye … coueteth that euery superficies be faire and pleasing.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 500. When the wormes are followed by Molds … they flie to the superficies and very toppe of the earth.
1611. Coryat, Crudities, 404. Here I haue obserued the people in the bathes feede together vpon a table that hath swimmed vpon the superficies of the water.
1614. Gorges, Lucan, IX. 375. For scarcely now a little boate Can on the superficies flote, Of those drown’d sands where water stayes.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., 12. The internal superficies of the Receiver. Ibid., xxx. 227. Conspicuous waves that appear’d upon the superficies of our agitated smoke.
1789. J. Williams, Min. Kingd., I. 135. The river begins to run across the superficies of these coals.
1862. Goulburn, Pers. Relig., I. iii. (1864), 29. The difference of colour … is produced by some subtle difference of texture or superficies.
† b. A plane or level surface. Obs. rare.
1674. Josselyn, Voy. New Eng., 161. Two hills of equal height…, the one well fortified on the superficies with some Artillery mounted.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, ii. Wks. 1760, I. 36. He was shown in the posture of a Persian emperor, sitting on a Superficies.
3. That which constitutes the outermost part of a body; the surface layer. Now rare.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1174. The lakes and rivers … seeme in their superficies to be some time reddish, and otherwhiles of a violet colour.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. ii. I. i. 306. Crato … admits rost meat, if the burned and scorched superficies, the browne we call it, be pared off.
1628. Venner, Baths of Bathe, 6. Onely the superficies, or vpper part of the Bath is cooled.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), II. 124. To render the Superficies of the Earth loose.
1847. H. Miller, First Impr. Eng., iv. (1857), 49. The rubbish of the subterranean workings is scarce at all suffered to encroach … on the arable superficies.
b. Rom. and Civil Law. A building or other thing in or on the surface of a piece of land, which is by art or nature so closely connected with as to form part of it; the right possessed by a person over any such building or other thing in or on the surface of another’s land.
1850. in Burrill, Law Dict.
1853. T. C. Sandars, Inst. Justinian, II. v. (1859), 215. The right of superficies was almost identical with that of emphyteusis, but applied only to the superficies, that is, things built on the ground, not to the ground itself. It was the right of disposing freely of a building erected on another man’s soil without destroying it, subject to the payment of a yearly rent.
1856. Bouvier, Law Dict. U.S. (ed. 6), Superficies, a Latin word used among civilians. It signifies in the edict of the prætor whatever has been erected on the soil.
4. Superficial area or extent.
1656. Hobbes, Six Lessons, Wks. 1845, VII. 305. The superficies of the conoeides is greater than the superficies of the sphere.
1753. N. Torriano, Non-Naturals, 51. The whole Weight of Air, which presses equally upon a Body of about 15 square Feet Superficies.
1798. Survey Prov. Moray, iii. 171. The whole superficies of the parish contains 21 square miles.
1832. De la Beche, Geol. Man. (ed. 2), 2. The superficies of the Pacific Ocean alone is estimated as somewhat greater than that of the whole dry land with which we are acquainted.
1847. H. Miller, First Impr. Eng., vi. (1857), 92. The slabs, each containing a superficies of about twenty-four feet.
5. † a. The ‘surface’ (of something immaterial, esp. of the mind or soul). Obs.
1586. Sir E. Hoby, Polit. Disc. Truth, xvii. 73. We must not onely consider, the superficies and beginnyng of thinges, but to looke more inwardly what may happen in time.
1607. Heywood, Fayre Mayde Exch., i. C j b. Anth. … But what is loue? Frank. A voluntary motion of delight, Touching the superficies of the soule.
1638. R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. II.), 25. Greek and Latin make not men valiant, nor are things that descend to the bottom of the soul, they scarce reach to the outermost superficies.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Committee, 38. The Type of Flesh and Bloud, the Skeleton And Superficies of a thing that’s gone.
a. 1700. Ken, Edmund, Poet. Wks. 1721, II. 287. Those Thoughts … spread the Superficies of my Mind.
† b. The outward form or aspect. Obs.
1589. [? Nashe], Almond for Parrat, E j b. The deuill … prouided a rustie superficies wherin to wrap him as soone as euer he was separated from his mothers wombe.
1612. N. Field, Woman is a Weather-cock, III. ii. Could Nature make So faire a superficies, to enclose So false a heart?
1638. Featly, Transubst., 56. You beleeve that Christ’s body is contained under the superficies or accidents of bread.
1781. Johnson, L. P., Waller, Wks. 1787, II. 260. His images [are] such as the superficies of nature readily supplies.
c. That which is merely superficial; the outward appearance as distinct from the inner or real nature or condition.
1589. [? Lyly], Pappe w. Hatchet, L.’s Wks. 1902, III. 400. A good honest strippling … askt his sweete sister, whether lecherie in her conscience were a sinne? In faith (quoth she) I thinke it the superficies of sinne.
1593. Tell-Trothe’s N. Y. Gift (1876), 28. They that only haue entertained the superficies of loue.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., III. i. 187. I only lookt vpon the Superficies, I went no farther then the outward appearance.
1752. Johnson, Rambler, No. 196, ¶ 5. He who has seen only the superficies of life believes every thing to be what it appears.
1847. Disraeli, Tancred, II. xiii. He held that the state of England, notwithstanding the superficies of a material prosperity was one of impending doom.
1888. Pater, Ess. fr. Guardian (1896), 106. What [his life] really most resembles, different as its superficies may look, is the career of those early mediæval religious artists.
† d. An outward show concealing something, a cloak. Obs. rare.
1589. Greene, Orpharion, Wks. (Grosart), XII. 67. Then must we confesse that beauty is … to be esteemed aboue all things, as the very couer and superficies vnder which vertue lyes hid.
1612. Webster, White Devil, I. ii. 19. Her coynesse? thats but the superficies of lust most women have.
† e. A superficial account, a sketch. Obs. rare.
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, III. II. 261. But all that I have said yet of the Election of the Pope, has been nothing but a meer superficies of the policies of the Court.
