What's the difference between superficial and trenchant?

Superficial


Definition:

  • (a.) Of or pertaining to the superficies, or surface; lying on the surface; shallow; not deep; as, a superficial color; a superficial covering; superficial measure or contents; superficial tillage.
  • (a.) Reaching or comprehending only what is obvious or apparent; not deep or profound; shallow; -- said especially in respect to study, learning, and the like; as, a superficial scholar; superficial knowledge.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) A simple method of selective catheterization of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) following antegrade puncture of the common femoral artery is described.
  • (2) Are you ready to vote?” is the battle cry, and even the most superficial of glances at the statistics tells why.
  • (3) These data suggest that basophilic cell function in the superficial mucous layer in the nose is of greater significance in the development of nasal symptoms in response to nasal allergy than either mucociliary activity or nasal mucosal hypersensitivity to histamine.
  • (4) After haemorrhage in conscious rabbits total renal blood flow fell by 25%, this fall being confined to the superficial renal cortex.
  • (5) This was followed firstly by superficial and then by deep ulceration of the mucosa.
  • (6) The soleus, deep portions of the vastus lateralis, and superficial portions of the vastus lateralis muscles were examined to represent slow-twitch-oxidative, fast-twitch-oxidative-glycolytic, and fast-twitch-glycolytic skeletal muscle fiber types, respectively.
  • (7) The normal anatomical position of the point of junction of the superficial cerebral veins with the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses of the rat was studied with an analytical mathematical method.
  • (8) Tinea versicolor was the commonest superficial dermatomycosis affecting nearly half of all adults seen.
  • (9) It is concluded that catechol potentiates excitatory transmission at the LOT-superficial pyramidal cell synapse, possibly by increasing evoked transmitter release.
  • (10) This study presents data supporting a selective antinociceptive role for DA at the spinal level, where it has a widespread antinociceptive influence, on cells in both the superficial and deeper dorsal horn.
  • (11) In fact the deep femoral artery represents an exceptional and privileged route for anastomosis that is capable of replacing almost perfectly an obstructed superficial femoral artery and also in a more limited way femoro-popliteal arteries with extensive obstructions.
  • (12) Superficial x-ray therapy is an excellent modality for the treatment of squamous cell carcinomas of the lower extremity in the elderly.
  • (13) This suggests a possible depressant effect of both GABA and taurine at superficial cortical layers.
  • (14) CD8 positive cells were detected randomly in all regions of the mucosa, whereas CD4 positive cells tended to be clustered in the superficial portion of the lamina propria.
  • (15) Comparing the tolerable side-effects with their favourable therapeutic results, BCG is considered to be suitable for the prevention of recurrences in treating superficial bladder tumours.
  • (16) This study concluded that inverted positioning for short periods significantly increased spinal length and reduced emg activity of the superficial lumbar area musculature of normal males.
  • (17) No common aetiological factor could be found, although four of these patients did have a mild or moderatley active superficial chronic gastritis.
  • (18) Disturbance of bone metabolism is observed in both the superficial (delta) and slow exchanges (Ve), which are also significantly decreased.
  • (19) The results showed that dogfish lenses developed superficial opacities due to near-UV exposure.
  • (20) The neighbouring neocortical areas receive afferents neither from the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus nor from the ventral mesencephalic tegmentum; their catecholamine innervation is mainly confined to the superficial layers and appears to be of noradrenergic nature.

Trenchant


Definition:

  • (v. t.) Fitted to trench or cut; gutting; sharp.
  • (v. t.) Fig.: Keen; biting; severe; as, trenchant wit.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The hostility Said encountered from pro-Israeli circles in New York was predictable, given his trenchant attacks on Israeli violations of the human rights of Palestinians and his outspoken condemnations of US policies in the Middle East.
  • (2) He went with a bang not a whimper: two of his last contributions to the New Republic were a trenchant critique of the history of the six-day war by Michael Oren, now Israeli ambassador to Washington, and an evisceration of Koba the Dread, Martin Amis's purported book on Stalin.
  • (3) Yet with growing numbers of civilian deaths and escalating violence, many British Syrians have become more trenchant in putting forward pro- or anti-regime views.
  • (4) This year she won plaudits from fellow peers and disability activists alike over a series of trenchant interventions on the controversial welfare reform bill .
  • (5) "If there is one thing that has been wrong with this World Cup it is Fifa’s ridiculous insistence that teams wear predominantly light or dark strips," begins Stewart Todd, before taking a deep breath and resuming his diatribe, utilising both the 'relentless' and 'trenchant' styles.
  • (6) Ruggie’s report was welcomed by Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation and a trenchant critic of the lack of progress by Qatar on the migrant workers issue.
  • (7) Jones told Turnbull that because he had had dinner with Palmer, a trenchant critic of Abbott, “people” were suggesting that “precisely because you have no hope ever of being the leader again – you have got that into your head, no hope ever – that because of that you are happy to chuck a few bombs around that might blow up Abbott a bit, that is what they are saying.” Turnbull replied that it was Jones who was undermining the Abbott government and “doing the work of the Labor party”, a charge not usually levelled at the Sydney announcer who is an ardent supporter of the prime minister.
  • (8) He was speaking to The Independent, which reports: Mr Fisher trenchantly defends those decisions made at the height of the crisis.
  • (9) That is not only because of McDonnell’s trenchant hard-left economic views, but also because of his combative approach.
  • (10) The White House, fearing the impact of a European disaster on Barack Obama's re-election campaign, is becoming more trenchant in its criticism of the eurozone and its demands of the Germans.
  • (11) Former centre-right president Nicolas Sarkozy was reported to have supplied his own trenchant critique, even as Brignoles voters were preparing to elect Lopez in the second round.
  • (12) The comments from Maria Hutchings, described by Lib Dems as a Sarah Palin figure for her trenchant views and tendency to speak off-message, provoked a storm of protest as political opponents and state-educated celebrities, said she had insulted state schools, including two local ones with glowing Ofsted reports.
  • (13) I don't for a minute accept the logic of reforms that put individuals in private debt to avoid public debt but even the most trenchant libertarian can find fault when those same reforms end up costing the Treasury more money.
  • (14) He chose to release a trenchantly-worded judgment, explaining why had made the initial ruling to keep the identity of the footballer secret, in which he concluded there was "ample reason not to trust" the young woman.
  • (15) For old hands at the negotiations, such as Yvo de Boer, a former Dutch civil servant and UN climate chief known for his trenchant views, the conferences have become trapped in an endless cycle of repeats.
  • (16) But Abbott’s trenchant opposition to the fund is seen as an impediment to any contribution.
  • (17) As a result, general inequality has been becoming more grievous with every year that passes, and without a bleat from the leaders of the party who once spoke up so trenchantly and characteristically for greater equality.
  • (18) Rival Palestinian groups have hailed the signing of a reconciliation agreement that could change the parameters of the search for Middle East peace, amid trenchant opposition from Israel.
  • (19) The faith-based failure to plan for the invasion’s aftermath, rightly damned in trenchant terms by Sir John, was the most catastrophic for the Iraqi people, and indeed for the British service personnel in harm’s way.
  • (20) He has been the most prominent of black British intellectuals since the 1960s, a prominent figure of the Open University and among the most trenchant critics of Thatcherism.