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Facile vs Surface - What's the difference?

facile | surface |

As an adjective facile

is easy, now especially in a disparaging sense; contemptibly easy.

As a verb surface is

.

facile

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Easy, now especially in a disparaging sense; contemptibly easy.
  • * , vol.I, New York, 2001, p.243:
  • as he that is benumbed with cold sits shaking, that might relieve himself with a little exercise or stirring, do they complain, but will not use the facile and ready means to do themselves good […].
  • His facile disposition made him many friends.
  • Effortless, fluent (of work, abilities etc.).
  • * 1932 , (Duff Cooper), Talleyrand , Folio Society 2010, p. 54:
  • we can learn the impression that he made upon a stranger and a foreigner at this period, thanks to the facile pen of Fannu Burney.
  • * 1974 , (Graham Greene), (The Honorary Consul) , Pocket Books, New York, p.54:
  • "Discipline," Jorge Julio Saavedra was repeating, "is more necessary to me than to other more facile writers.
  • * 1990 , (Peter Hopkirk), The Great Game , Folio Society 2010, p. 372:
  • A facile and persuasive writer, he also turned out countless newspaper articles on Russian aims in Central Asia and how best these could be thwarted.
  • Lazy, simplistic (especially of explanations, discussions etc.).
  • * 2012 , (Chris Huhne), The Guardian , 3 May 2012:
  • There is a facile view that our green commitments – to tackling climate change, avoiding air and water pollution, protecting natural habitats – are an obstacle to growth. The message of the commodity markets is surely different.
  • (chemistry) Of a reaction or other process, taking place readily.
  • Decarboxylation of beta-keto acids is facile ...

    Synonyms

    * (skillful) See also

    surface

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The overside or up-side of a flat object such as a table, or of a liquid.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=Foreword citation , passage=A very neat old woman, still in her good outdoor coat and best beehive hat, was sitting at a polished mahogany table on whose surface there were several scored scratches so deep that a triangular piece of the veneer had come cleanly away,
  • The outside hull of a tangible object.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-05-11, volume=407, issue=8835, page=80, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The climate of Tibet: Pole-land , passage=Of all the transitions brought about on the Earth’s surface by temperature change, the melting of ice into water is the starkest. It is binary. And for the land beneath, the air above and the life around, it changes everything.}}
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Welcome to the plastisphere , passage=[The researchers] noticed many of their pieces of [plastic marine] debris sported surface pits around two microns across.}}
  • (lb) Outward or external appearance.
  • :
  • *(Vicesimus Knox) (1752-1821)
  • *:Vain and weak understandings, which penetrate no deeper than the surface .
  • *
  • *:“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable,.
  • The locus of an equation (especially one with exactly two degrees of freedom) in a more-than-two-dimensional space.
  • (lb) That part of the side which is terminated by the flank prolonged, and the angle of the nearest bastion.
  • :(Stocqueler)
  • Synonyms

    * overside * superfice (archaic)

    Derived terms

    * surface mail * surficial

    Verb

  • To provide something with a surface.
  • To apply a surface to something.
  • To rise to the surface.
  • To come out of hiding.
  • For information or facts to become known.
  • To work a mine near the surface.
  • To appear or be found.