top
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /tɒp/, [tʰɒp]
  • (America) IPA: /tɑp/, [tʰɑp]
Noun

top

  1. The highest or uppermost part of something.
    His kite got caught at the top of the tree.
    • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175 ↗:
      But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶ […] The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old mare feeding in the meadow below by the brook, […].
    1. (irrespective of present orientation) the part of something that is usually the top.
      We flipped the machine onto its top.
    2. The uppermost part of a page, picture, viewing screen, etc.
      Further weather information can be found at the top of your television screen.  Headings appear at the tops of pages.
    3. A lid, cap or cover of a container.
      Put a top on the toothpaste tube or it will go bad.
    4. A garment worn to cover the torso.
      I bought this top as it matches my jeans.
    5. topics en A framework at the top of a ship's mast to which rigging is attached.
    6. (baseball) The first half of an inning, during which the home team fields and the visiting team bats.
    7. (archaic) The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.
      • from top to toe
      • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene ii]:
        All the stored vengeances of Heaven fall / On her ungrateful top!
  2. A child’s spinning toy; a spinning top.
    The boy was amazed at how long the top would spin.
  3. (heading) Someone who is eminent.
    1. (archaic) The chief person; the most prominent one.
      • 1649, [John] Milton, [Eikonoklastes]  […], London: Printed by Matthew Simmons,  […], OCLC 1044608640 ↗:
        to be the top of zealots
    2. The highest rank; the most honourable position; the utmost attainable place.
      to be at the top of one's class, or at the top of the school
      • c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene i]:
        And wears upon his baby brow the round / And top of sovereignty.
  4. (BDSM) A dominant partner in a BDSM relationship or roleplay.
  5. (LGBT, slang) A man penetrating or with a preference for penetrating during homosexual intercourse.
    I prefer being a top, and my boyfriend prefers being a bottom.
  6. (physics) A top quark.
  7. The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.
    • June 18 1714, Alexander Pope, letter to Jonathan Swift
      The top of my own ambition is to contribute to that work.
  8. (ropemaking) A plug, or conical block of wood, with longitudinal grooves on its surface, in which the strands of the rope slide in the process of twisting.
  9. (sound) Highest pitch or loudest volume.
    She sang at the top of her voice.
  10. (wool manufacture) A bundle or ball of slivers of combed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.
  11. (obsolete, except in one sense of phrase on top of) Eve; verge; point.
    • He was upon the top of his marriage with Magdaleine.
  12. The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface.
  13. (in the plural, slang, dated) Topboots.
  14. (golf) A stroke on the top of the ball.
  15. (golf) A forward spin given to the ball by hitting it on or near the top.
  16. (in restaurants, preceded by a number) (A table at which there is, or which has enough seats for) a group of a specified number of people eating at a restaurant.
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Translations Translations Translations
  • German: Oberteil (sleeveless), Top (for ladies)
  • Italian: parte superiore, top
  • Portuguese: top
  • Russian: ве́рхняя оде́жда
  • Spanish: top
Translations Translations Translations Translations
  • Spanish: dominador, dominadora
Translations Verb

top (tops, present participle topping; past and past participle topped)

  1. To cover on the top or with a top.
    I like my ice cream topped with chocolate sauce.
  2. To cut or remove the top (as of a tree)
    I don't want to be bald, so just top my hair.
    Top and tail the carrots.
  3. To excel, to surpass, to beat.
    Titanic was the most successful film ever until it was topped by another Cameron film, Avatar.
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene ii]:
      Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, / And my invention thrive, Edmund the base / Shall top th' legitimate. I grow; I prosper
  4. To be in the lead, to be at number one position (of).
    Celine Dion topped the UK music charts twice in the 1990s.
    • 2013, Phil McNulty, "", BBC Sport, 26 December 2013:
      Liverpool topped the table on Christmas Day and, after Arsenal's win at West Ham earlier on Boxing Day, would have returned to the top had they been the first team to beat City at home this season.
  5. (British, slang, reflexive) To commit suicide.
    Depression causes many people to top themselves.
  6. (British, slang, rare) To murder.
  7. (BDSM) To be the dominant partner in a BDSM relationship or roleplay.
    I used to be a slave, but I ended up topping.
    Giving advice to the dominant partner on how to run the BDSM session is called "topping from the bottom".
  8. (slang, gay sexuality, intransitive) To be the partner who penetrates in anal sex.
  9. (slang, gay sexuality, transitive) To anally penetrate.
  10. (archaic) To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower.
    lofty ridges and topping mountains
  11. (archaic) To predominate.
    topping passions
    • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Thomas Basset, […], OCLC 153628242 ↗:
      , Book II, Chapter XXI
      influenced by that topping uneasiness
  12. (archaic) To excel; to rise above others.
  13. (nautical) To raise one end of (a yard, etc.), making it higher than the other.
  14. (dyeing) To cover with another dye.
    to top aniline black with methyl violet to prevent greening
  15. To put a stiffening piece or back on (a saw blade).
  16. (slang, dated) To arrange (fruit, etc.) with the best on top.
  17. (of a horse) To strike the top of (an obstacle) with the hind feet while jumping, so as to gain new impetus.
  18. To improve (domestic animals, especially sheep) by crossing certain individuals or breeds with other superior breeds.
  19. To cut, break, or otherwise take off the top of (a steel ingot) to remove unsound metal.
  20. (golf) To strike (the ball) above the centre; also, to make (a stroke, etc.) by hitting the ball in this way.
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations Adjective

top (not comparable)

  1. Situated on the top of something.
  2. (informal) Best; of the highest quality or rank.
    She's in the top dance school.
  3. (informal) Very good, of high quality, power, or rank.
    He's a top lawyer.
    That is a top car.
Related terms Translations Translations
  • Portuguese: top, top de linha
  • Russian: лу́чший
  • Spanish: máximo
Adverb

top (not comparable)

  1. Rated first.
    She came top in her French exam.
Synonyms


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