Part 1004

Sir P. Sidney.

2. That which makes sure; that which confirms; ground of confidence or security.

our happy state Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds; On other surety none.

Milton.

3. Security against loss or damage; security for payment, or for the performance of some act.

There remains unpaid A hundred thousand more; in surety of the which One part of Aquitaine is bound to us.

Shak.

4. (Law) One who is bound with and for another who is primarily liable, and who is called the principal; one who engages to answer for another's appearance in court, or for his payment of a debt, or for performance of some act; a bondsman; a bail.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it.

Prov. xi. 15.

5. Hence, a substitute; a hostage. Cowper.

6. Evidence; confirmation; warrant. [Obs.]

She called the saints to surety, That she would never put it from her finger, Unless she gave it to yourself.

Shak.

Sure"ty, v. t. To act as surety for. [Obs.] Shak.

Sure"ty*ship, n. The state of being surety; the obligation of a person to answer for the debt, default, or miscarriage of another. Bouvier.

Surf (?), n. [Formerly spelled suffe, and probably the same word as E. sough.] The swell of the sea which breaks upon the shore, esp. upon a sloping beach.

Surf bird (Zoöl.), a ploverlike bird of the genus Aphriza, allied to the turnstone. -- Surf clam (Zoöl.), a large clam living on the open coast, especially Mactra, or Spisula, solidissima. See Mactra. -- Surf duck (Zoöl.), any one of several species of sea ducks of the genus Oidemia, especially O. percpicillata; -- called also surf scoter. See the Note under Scoter. -- Surf fish (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of California embiotocoid fishes. See Embiotocoid. -- Surf smelt. (Zoöl.) See Smelt. -- Surf whiting. (Zoöl.) See under Whiting.

Surf, n. The bottom of a drain. [Prov. Eng.]

Sur"face` (?), n. [F. See Sur-, and Face, and cf. Superficial.] 1. The exterior part of anything that has length and breadth; one of the limits that bound a solid, esp. the upper face; superficies; the outside; as, the surface of the earth; the surface of a diamond; the surface of the body.

The bright surface of this ethereous mold.

Milton.

2. Hence, outward or external appearance.

Vain and weak understandings, which penetrate no deeper than the surface.

V. Knox.

3. (Geom.) A magnitude that has length and breadth without thickness; superficies; as, a plane surface; a spherical surface.

4. (Fort.) That part of the side which is terminated by the flank prolonged, and the angle of the nearest bastion. Stocqueler.

Caustic surface, Heating surface, etc. See under Caustic, Heating, etc. -- Surface condensation, Surface condenser. See under Condensation, and Condenser. -- Surface gauge (Mach.), an instrument consisting of a standard having a flat base and carrying an adjustable pointer, for gauging the evenness of a surface or its height, or for marking a line parallel with a surface. -- Surface grub (Zoöl.), the larva of the great yellow underwing moth (Triphœna pronuba). It is often destructive to the roots of grasses and other plants. -- Surface plate (Mach.), a plate having an accurately dressed flat surface, used as a standard of flatness by which to test other surfaces. -- Surface printing, printing from a surface in relief, as from type, in distinction from plate printing, in which the ink is contained in engraved lines.