• Top

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /tÉ’p/
    • GenAm IPA: /tÉ‘p/
    • Rhymes: -É’p

    Origin

    From Middle English top, toppe, from Old English top ("top, highest part; summit; crest; tassel, tuft; (spinning) top, ball; a tuft or ball at the highest point of anything"), from Proto-Germanic *tuppaz ("braid, pigtail, end"), from Proto-Indo-European *dumb- ("tail, rod, staff, penis"). Cognate with Scots tap ("top"), North Frisian top, tap, tup ("top"), Saterland Frisian Top ("top"), West Frisian top ("top"), Dutch top ("top, summit, peak"), Low German Topp ("top"), German Zopf ("braid, pigtail, plait, top"), German Top ("top, summit, peak"), Swedish topp ("top, peak, summit, tip"), Icelandic toppur ("top"). Related also to Old High German zumpfo ("penis").

    Noun

    top

    (plural tops)
    1. The highest part or component of an object.
      His kite got caught at the top of the tree.
      • 1879, Richard Jefferies, The Amateur Poacher Chapter 1, 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. The part viewed, or intended to be viewed, nearest the edge of the visual field normally occupied by the uppermost visible objects.
        Headings appear at the tops of pages.
        Further weather information can be found at the top of your television screen.
      2. A lid, cap or cover of a container.
        Put a top on the toothpaste tube or it will go bad.
      3. A garment worn to cover the torso.
        I bought this top as it matches my jeans.
      4. (nautical) A framework at the top of a ship's mast to which rigging is attached.
      5. (baseball) The first half of an inning, during which the home team fields and the visiting team bats.
      6. (archaic) The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.
    2. A child’s spinning toy; a spinning top.
      The boy was amazed at how long the top would spin.
    3. Someone who is eminent.
      1. (archaic) The chief person; the most prominent one.
      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
        • William Shakespeare (1564-1616)And wears upon his baby brow the round
          And top of sovereignty.
        • 2011, September 29, Tom Rostance, Stoke 2-1 Besiktas, After drawing their first game in Kiev the Potters are now top of Europa League Group E ahead of back-to-back games with Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
    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.
      • Alexander Pope (1688-1744)The top of my 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.
      She sang at the top of her voice.
      • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 7, I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. … The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.
    10. (wool manufacture) A bundle or ball of slivers of combed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.
    11. (obsolete) Eve; verge; point.
      • Richard Knolles (1545-1610)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.

    Synonyms

    • (part seen, or intended to be seen, nearest the edge of the visual field normally occupied by the uppermost visible objects) head of a page
    • (lid) cap, cover, lid
    • (LGBT) pitcher, active, seme Japanese fiction

    Antonyms

    • (part of an object furthest away in the opposite direction from that in which an unsupported object would fall) base, bottom, underside
    • (part seen, or intended to be seen, nearest the edge of the visual field normally occupied by the uppermost visible objects) foot of a page
    • (garment) bottoms
    • (BDSM) bottom
    • (gay sexual slang) bottom, passive, pathic

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from top (noun)

    Full definition of top

    Verb

    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.
      • Shakespeare, King LearWell, 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, "http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25442148", 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) To commit suicide, (rare) to murder.Depression causes many people to top themselves.
    6. (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".
    7. (slang, gay sexuality) To be the partner who penetrates in anal sex.
    8. (archaic) To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower.lofty ridges and topping mountains
    9. (archaic) To predominate.topping passions
      • John Lockeinfluenced by topping uneasiness
    10. (archaic) To excel; to rise above others.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Adjective

    top

    1. (informal) Best; of the highest quality or rank.
      She's in the top dance school.
    2. (informal) Very good, of high quality.
      He's a top lawyer.
      That is a top car.

    Related terms

    Terms derived from top (adjective)

    Adverb

    top

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

    Synonyms

    Anagrams

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