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surface

noun [S] (APPEARANCE)
 
 
/ˈsɜː.fɪs/ US  /ˈsɝː-/

Definition

B2 The surface of a situation or person is what they appear to be, or the features they have that are not hidden or difficult to see: On the surface, this seems like a difficult problem, but in fact there's an easy solution to it. Beneath/Below/Under the surface of contemporary West Indian life lurk memories of slavery. Suddenly, all her anger came/rose to the surface (= became obvious).Seeming and purporting to beFaking and pretending
(Definition of surface noun (APPEARANCE) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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