What is "surface gauge"

Surface \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 (Zo["o]l.), the larva of the great yellow underwing moth ( Triph[oe]na 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.

n. gauge consisting of a scriber mounted on an adjustable stand; used to test the accuracy of plane surfaces [syn: surface gage, scribing block]