vbl. sb. [f. SURFACE v. + -ING1.]
1. The action or process of giving a (smooth or even) surface to something; concr. the coating with which a body is surfaced.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (1862), 205. The surfacing [of the copper rings in an Armstrong gun] should be performed after every 100 rounds.
1882. Garden, 18 March, 186/1. Walks … should … have received surfacings of fresh gravel.
1890. Science-Gossip, XXVI. 89/1. Mr. S. E. Peal, of Calcutta, sends a copy of his paper, ‘A Theory of Lunar Surfacing by Glaciation.’
1897. Catal. Maiolica Ashm. Mus. Oxf., 4. Certain of the Greek, Etruscan, and Roman … wares, on which a thin surfacing or semi-glazing seems to have been applied.
attrib. 1846. Holtzapffel, Turning, II. 477. The ordinary surfacing planes.
1869. Rankine, Machine & Hand-tools, Pl. H 7. A sliding and surfacing motion.
1873. J. Richards, Wood-working Factories, 131. The under cylinder of a double surfacing machine.
2. Mining for gold, etc., by washing the surface deposit; concr. the deposit so treated.
1861. T. M’Combie, Australian Sk., 133. What is termed ‘surfacing’ consists of simply washing the soil on the surface of the ground, which is occasionally auriferous.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Miner’s Right, xv. It seems they have been mopping up some rich surfacing.
