Top

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

Top, n. [CF. OD. dop, top, OHG., MNG., & dial. G. topf; perhaps akin to G. topf a pot.].

•  A child's toy, commonly in the form of a conoid or pear, made to spin on its point, usually by drawing off a string wound round its surface or stem, the motion being sometimes continued by means of a whip.  [1913 Webster]
•  A plug, or conical block of wood, with longitudital grooves on its surface, in which the strands of the rope slide in the process of twisting.  [1913 Webster]

Top, n. [AS. top; akin to OFries. top a tuft, D. top top, OHG. zopf end, tip, tuft of hair, G. zopf tuft of hair, pigtail, top of a tree, Icel. toppr a tuft of hair, crest, top, Dan. top, Sw. topp pinnacle, top; of uncertain origin. Cf. Tuft.].

•  The highest part of anything; the upper end, edge, or extremity; the upper side or surface; summit; apex; vertex; cover; lid; as, the top of a spire; the top of a house; the top of a mountain; the top of the ground.  [1913 Webster]

  "The star that bids the shepherd fold,
  Now the top of heaven doth hold."  [1913 Webster]
•  The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.  [1913 Webster]

  "The top of my ambition is to contribute to that work."  [1913 Webster]
•  The highest rank; the most honorable position; the utmost attainable place; as, to be at the top of one's class, or at the top of the school.  [1913 Webster]

  "And wears upon his baby brow the round
  And top of sovereignty."  [1913 Webster]
•  The chief person; the most prominent one.  [1913 Webster]

  "Other . . . aspired to be the top of zealots."  [1913 Webster]
•  The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

  "All the stored vengeance of Heaven fall
  On her ungrateful top !"  [1913 Webster]
•  The head, or upper part, of a plant.  [1913 Webster]

  "The buds . . . are called heads, or tops, as cabbageheads."  [1913 Webster]
•  A platform surrounding the head of the lower mast and projecting on all sudes. It serves to spead the topmast rigging, thus strengheningthe mast, and also furnishes a convenient standing place for the men aloft.  Totten.  [1913 Webster]
•  A bundle or ball of slivers of comkbed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.  [1913 Webster]
•  Eve; verge; point.  Knolles.  [1913 Webster]
•  The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface.  Knight.  [1913 Webster]
•  Top-boots.  Dickens.  [1913 Webster]
•  A stroke on the top of the ball.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

  " Top is often used adjectively or as the first part of compound words, usually self-explaining; as, top stone, or topstone; top-boots, or top boots; top soil, or top-soil."  [1913 Webster]

Top and but (Shipbuilding), a phrase used to denote a method of working long tapering planks by bringing the but of one plank to the top of the other to make up a constant breadth in two layers. -- Top minnow (Zoöl.), a small viviparous fresh-water fish (Gambusia patruelis) abundant in the Southern United States. Also applied to other similar species. -- From top to toe, from head to foot; altogether.

Top, v. i. 

•  To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains.  Derham.  [1913 Webster]
•  To predominate; as, topping passions.  Locke.  [1913 Webster]
•  To excel; to rise above others.  [1913 Webster]

  "But write thy, and top."  [1913 Webster]
•  To strike a ball above the center.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To rise at one end, as a yard; -- usually with up.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Top, v. t. 

•  To cover on the top; to tip; to cap; -- chiefly used in the past participle.  [1913 Webster]

  "Like moving mountains topped with snow."  [1913 Webster]

  "A mount
  Of alabaster, topped with golden spires."  [1913 Webster]
•  To rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass.  [1913 Webster]

  "Topping all others in boasting."  [1913 Webster]

  "Edmund the base shall top the legitimate."  [1913 Webster]
•  To rise to the top of; to go over the top of.  [1913 Webster]

  "But wind about till thou hast topped the hill."  [1913 Webster]
•  To take off the or upper part of; to crop.  [1913 Webster]

  "Top your rose trees a little with your knife."  [1913 Webster]
•  To perform eminently, or better than before.  [1913 Webster]

  "From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go universally beyond them."  [1913 Webster]
•  To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cover with another dye; as, to top aniline black with methyl violet to prevent greening and crocking.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To put a stiffening piece or back on (a saw blade).  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To arrange, as fruit, with the best on top.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To strike the top of, as a wall, with the hind feet, in jumping, so as to gain new impetus; -- said of a horse.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To improve (domestic animals, esp. sheep) by crossing certain individuals or breeds with other superior.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To cut, break, or otherwise take off the top of (a steel ingot) to remove unsound metal.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To strike (the ball) above the center; also, to make (as a stroke) by hitting the ball in this way.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

To top off, (a) to complete by putting on, or finishing, the top or uppermost part of; as, to top off a stack of hay; hence, to complete; to finish; to adorn. (b) to completely fill (an almost full tank) by adding more of the liquid it already contains.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Top, n., adj., & v.
--n.
1 the highest point or part (the top of the house).
2 a the highest rank or place (at the top of the school). b a person occupying this (was top in maths). c the upper end or head (the top of the table).
3 the upper surface of a thing, esp. of the ground, a table, etc.
4 the upper part of a thing, esp.: a a blouse, jumper, etc. for wearing with a skirt or trousers. b the upper part of a shoe or boot. c the stopper of a bottle. d the lid of a jar, saucepan, etc. e the creamy part of milk. f the folding roof of a car, pram, or carriage. g the upper edge or edges of a page or pages in a book (gilt top).
5 the utmost degree; height (called at the top of his voice).
6 (in pl.) colloq. a person or thing of the best quality (he's tops at cricket).
7 (esp. in pl.) the leaves etc. of a plant grown esp. for its root (turnip-tops).
8 (usu. in pl.) a bundle of long wool fibres prepared for spinning.
9 Naut. a platform round the head of the lower mast, serving to extend the topmost rigging or carry guns.
10 (in pl.) esp. Bridge the two or three highest cards of a suit.
11 Brit. = top gear (climbed the hill in top).
12 = TOPSPIN.
--adj.
1 highest in position (the top shelf).
2 highest in degree or importance (at top speed; the top job).
--v.tr. (topped, topping)
1 provide with a top, cap, etc. (cake topped with icing).
2 remove the top of (a plant, fruit, etc.), esp. to improve growth, prepare for cooking, etc.
3 be higher or better than; surpass; be at the top of (topped the list).
4 sl. a execute esp. by hanging, kill. b (refl.) commit suicide.
5 reach the top of (a hill etc.).
6 Golf a hit (a ball) above the centre. b make (a stroke) in this way.

Idiom

at the top (or at the top of the tree) in the highest rank of a profession etc. come to the top win distinction. from top to toe from head to foot; completely. off the top of one's head see HEAD. on top
1 in a superior position; above.
2 on the upper part of the head (bald on top).
on top of
1 fully in command of.
2 in close proximity to.
3 in addition to. on top of the world colloq. exuberant.
over the top
1 over the parapet of a trench (and into battle).
2 into a final or decisive state.
3 to excess, beyond reasonable limits (that joke was over the top). top-boot esp. hist. a boot with a high top esp. of a different material or colour. top brass esp. Mil. colloq. the highest-ranking officers, heads of industries, etc. top copy the uppermost typed copy (cf. carbon copy). top dog colloq. a victor or master.
top drawer
1 the uppermost drawer in a chest etc.
2 colloq. high social position or origin. top-dress apply manure or fertilizer on the top of (earth) instead of ploughing it in.
top-dressing
1 this process.
2 manure so applied.
3 a superficial show. top-flight in the highest rank of achievement. top fruit Brit. fruit grown on trees, not bushes. top gear Brit. the highest gear in a motor vehicle or bicycle. top-hamper an encumbrance on top, esp. the upper sails and rigging of a ship. top hat a man's tall silk hat. top-hole Brit. colloq. first-rate. top-level of the highest level of importance, prestige, etc. top-notch colloq. first-rate. top-notcher colloq. a first-rate person or thing. top off (or up) put an end or the finishing touch to (a thing). top out put the highest stone on (a building). top one's part esp. Theatr. act or discharge one's part to perfection.
top-sawyer
1 a sawyer in the upper position in a saw-pit.
2 a person who holds a superior position; a distinguished person. top secret of the highest secrecy. top ten (or twenty etc.) the first ten (or twenty etc.) gramophone records in the charts. top up esp.
Brit.
1 a complete (an amount or number). b fill up (a glass or other partly full container).
2 top up something for (a person) (may I top you up with sherry?). top-up n. an addition; something that serves to top up (esp. a partly full glass).

Derivative

topmost adj.

Top, n. a wooden or metal toy, usu. conical, spherical, or pear-shaped, spinning on a point when set in motion by hand, string, etc.

Etymology

OE, of uncert. orig.

THESAURUS

Top

Establishment, VIP, acmatic, acme, acme of perfection, agate, all, apex, apical, apogee, ball, baron, baseball bat, bat, battledore, bauble, beat, best, bestraddle, bestride, better, big gun, big man, big name, big top, bigwig, blocks, bonnet, border, brass, brass hat, brow, bureaucracy, canvas, cap, capital, carousel, ceil, ceiling, celebrity, checkerboard, chessboard, chief, choice, circumference, clear, climax, clip, cloud nine, club, cockhorse, coif, command, consummate, consummation, cork, cortex, costly, cover, covering, cream, crest, cricket bat, crop, crown, crust, cue, culmen, culminate, culmination, curtail, cusp, dear, dear-bought, dignitary, dignity, directorate, disk, dock, doll, doll carriage, dome, dominate, eaves, edge, elder, elite, end, envelope, epidermis, exceed, excel, expensive, exterior, external, extreme, extreme limit, extremity, facade, face, facet, fancy, fat, father, figure, fine, first-class, first-rate, first-string, flower, fringe, front, frost, gewgaw, gimcrack, go one better, golf club, great man, greatest, hat, head, headmost, heaven, heavens, height, hierarchy, high, high noon, high-priced, higher echelons, higher-ups, highest, highest degree, highest pitch, highest point, hobbyhorse, hood, housetop, ice, important person, improve on, integument, interests, jack-in-the-box, jacks, jackstones, jackstraws, kickshaw, knickknack, lantern, last word, lid, limit, lineaments, lion, look down upon, lords of creation, luxurious, magnate, man of mark, management, marble, marionette, maximal, maximum, meridian, meridional, merry-go-round, mig, ministry, mogul, most, mountaintop, nabob, name, ne plus ultra, no place higher, noon, not affordable, notability, notable, nth degree, of great cost, officialdom, operculum, outdo, outer face, outer layer, outer side, outer skin, outline, outshine, outside, outstrip, outtop, outweigh, overarch, overbalance, overbear, overcome, overhead, overlook, overmost, overpass, overshadow, overtop, panjandrum, paper doll, paramount, peak, penthouse, perfect, perfection, periphery, person of renown, personage, personality, pick, pick-up sticks, pillar of society, pink, pink of perfection, pinnacle, pinwheel, pitch, plafond, plaything, point, pole, pollard, power, power elite, predominate, preeminent, prelacy, premium, preponderate, prevail, pricey, pride, prime, prize, prune, puppet, racket, rag doll, rich, ridge, ridgepole, rind, rise above, rocking horse, roller, rolling stone, roof, roof garden, roof in, roof-deck, roofage, roofing, roofpole, rooftop, rooftree, rotator, rotor, round top, roundabout, ruling circle, ruling class, ruling classes, rundle, sachem, seventh heaven, shell, shingles, shorten, skin, sky, skylight, slates, somebody, something, spire, sport, steelie, steep, stiff, stopper, summit, summital, sumptuous, superficies, superior, superlative, superstratum, supreme, surface, surmount, surpass, taw, teetotum, tent, tentage, the Establishment, the administration, the authorities, the great, the ingroup, the interests, the people upstairs, the power elite, the power structure, the top, the whole, them, they, tiles, tip, tip-top, top brass, top off, top people, top-notch, topmost, tower above, tower over, toy, toy soldier, transcend, trim, trinket, trump, truncate, tycoon, ultimate, unpayable, upmost, upper extremity, uppermost, utmost, utmost extent, uttermost, vertex, vertical, very important person, very top, wheel, whim-wham, whirlabout, whirler, whirligig, whitetop, worthy, zenith, zenithal

ROGET THESAURUS

Top

Superiority

VB be superior, exceed, excel, transcend, outdo, outbalance, outweigh, outrank, outrival, out-Herod, pass, surpass, get ahead of, over-top, override, overpass, overbalance, overweigh, overmatch, top, o'ertop, cap, beat, cut out, beat hollow, outstrip, eclipse, throw into the shade, take the shine out of, outshine, put one's nose out of joint, have the upper hand, have the whip hand of, have the advantage, turn the scale, kick the beam, play first fiddle, preponderate, predominate, prevail, precede, take precedence, come first, come to a head, culminate, beat all others, bear the palm, break the record, take the cake, become larger, render larger.

Summit

N summit, summity, top, peak, vertex, apex, zenith, pinnacle, acme, culmination, meridian, utmost height, ne plus utra, height, pitch, maximum, climax, culminating point, crowning point, turning point, turn of the tide, fountain head, water shed, water parting, sky, pole, tip, tip top, crest, crow's nest, cap, truck, nib, end, crown, brow, head, nob, noddle, pate, capsheaf, high places, heights, topgallant mast, sky scraper, quarter deck, hurricane deck, architrave, frieze, cornice, coping stone, zoophorus, capital, epistyle, sconce, pediment, entablature, tympanum, ceiling, attic, loft, garret, house top, upper story, summit conference, summit, peak of achievement, peak of performance, peaks and troughs, peaks and valleys (in graphs), highest &c (high), top, top most, upper most, tiptop, culminating, meridian, meridional, capital, head, polar, supreme, supernal, topgallant, atop, at the top of the tree, en flute, fleur deau, summit, summity, top, peak, vertex, apex, zenith, pinnacle, acme, culmination, meridian, utmost height, ne plus utra, height, pitch, maximum, climax, culminating point, crowning point, turning point, turn of the tide, fountain head, water shed, water parting, sky, pole, tip, tip top, crest, crow's nest, cap, truck, nib, end, crown, brow, head, nob, noddle, pate, capsheaf, high places, heights, topgallant mast, sky scraper, quarter deck, hurricane deck, architrave, frieze, cornice, coping stone, zoophorus, capital, epistyle, sconce, pediment, entablature, tympanum, ceiling, attic, loft, garret, house top, upper story, summit conference, summit, peak of achievement, peak of performance, peaks and troughs, peaks and valleys (in graphs), highest &c (high), top, top most, upper most, tiptop, culminating, meridian, meridional, capital, head, polar, supreme, supernal, topgallant, atop, at the top of the tree, en flute, fleur deau.

VB culminate, crown, top, overtop.

Covering

N covering, cover, baldachin, baldachino, baldaquin, canopy, tilt, awning, tent, marquee, tente d'abri, umbrella, parasol, sunshade, veil (shade), shield, roof, ceiling, thatch, tile, pantile, pentile, tiling, slates, slating, leads, barrack, plafond, planchment, tiling, shed, top, lid, covercle, door, operculum, bulkhead, bandage, plaster, lint, wrapping, dossil, finger stall, coverlet, counterpane, sheet, quilt, tarpaulin, blanket, rug, drugget, housing, antimacassar, eiderdown, numdah, pillowcase, pillowslip, linoleum, saddle cloth, blanket cloth, tidy, tilpah, apishamore, integument, tegument, skin, pellicle, fleece, fell, fur, leather, shagreen, hide, pelt, peltry, cordwain, derm, robe, buffalo robe, cuticle, scarfskin, epidermis, clothing, mask, peel, crust, bark, rind, cortex, husk, shell, coat, eggshell, glume, capsule, sheath, sheathing, pod, cod, casing, case, theca, elytron, elytrum, involucrum, wrapping, wrapper, envelope, vesicle, corn husk, corn shuck, dermatology, conchology, testaceology, inunction, incrustation, superimposition, superposition, obduction, scale, veneer, facing, overlay, plate, silver plate, gold plate, copper plate, engobe, ormolu, Sheffield plate, pavement, coating, paint, varnish, plating, barrel plating, anointing, enamel, epitaxial deposition, vapor deposition, ground, whitewash, plaster, spackel, stucco, compo, cerement, ointment, covering, superimposed, overlaid, plated, cutaneous, dermal, cortical, cuticular, tegumentary, skinny, scaly, squamous, covered, imbricated, loricated, armor plated, ironclad, under cover, cowled, cucullate, dermatoid, encuirassed, hooded, squamiferous, tectiform, vaginate.

Rotation

N rotation, revolution, spinning, gyration, turning about an axis, turning aound an axis, circulation, roll, circumrotation, circumvolution, circumgyration, volutation, circination, turbination, pirouette, convolution, verticity, whir, whirl, eddy, vortex, whirlpool, gurge, countercurrent, Maelstrom, Charybdis, Ixion, cyclone, tornado, whirlwind, dust devil, spin-out, axis, axis of rotation, swivel, pivot, pivot point, axle, spindle, pin, hinge, pole, arbor, bobbin, mandrel, axle shaft, gymbal, hub, hub of rotation, helix, helical motion, angular momentum, angular velocity, revolutions per minute, RPM, centrifugal force, surge, vertigo, dizzy round, coriolus force, carousel, merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, top, dreidel, teetotum, gyroscope, turntable, lazy suzan, screw, whirligig, rollingstone, water wheel, windmill, wheel, pulley wheel, roulette wheel, potter's wheel, pinwheel, gear, roller, flywheel, jack, caster, centrifuge, ultracentrifuge, bench centrifuge, refrigerated centrifuge, gas centrifuge, microfuge, drill, augur, oil rig, wagon wheel, wheel, tire, tyre, trochilics, whirling dervish, rotating, rotary, rotary, circumrotatory, trochilic, vertiginous, gyratory, vortical, vorticose, head over heels, round and round, like a horse in a mill.