the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary; "there is a special cleaner for these surfaces"; "the cloth had a pattern of red dots on a white surface"
a superficial aspect as opposed to the real nature of something; "it was not what it appeared to be on the surface"
the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object; "they skimmed over the surface of the water"; "a brush small enough to clean every dental surface"; "the sun has no distinct surface"
the outermost level of the land or sea; "earthquakes originate far below the surface"; "three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water"
having a habit of long standing; "a chronic smoker"
of persons; not subject to change; "a confirmed bachelor"; "a confirmed invalid"
having been established or made firm or received the rite of confirmation; "confirmed reservations"; "received confirmed reports of casualties"; "a confirmed Catholic"
too small or unimportant to merit attention; "passed his life in an inconsiderable village"; "their duties were inconsiderable"; "had no inconsiderable influence"
a small elite group; "it was designed for the discriminating few"
an indefinite but relatively small number; "they bought a case of beer and drank a few"
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `a'; a small but indefinite number; "a few weeks ago"; "a few more wagons than usual"; "an invalid's pleasures are few and far between"; "few roses were still blooming"; "few women have led troops in battle"
introduced from another region and persisting without cultivation
brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established; "the established social order"; "distrust the constituted authority"; "a team established as a member of a major league"; "enjoyed his prestige as an established writer"; "an established precedent"; "the established Church"
shown to be valid beyond a reasonable doubt; "the established facts in the case"
securely established; "an established reputation"; "holds a firm position as the country's leading poet"
a contestant who meets certain requirements and so qualifies to take part in the next stage of competition; "the tournament was won by a late qualifier"
based on custom rather than documentation; "an unwritten law"; "rites...so ancient that they well might have had their unwritten origins in Aurignacian times"- J.L.T.C.Spence