top
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /tɒp/
ipa: [tʰɒp]
ipa: /tɑp/
ipa: [tʰɑp]
rhymes: -ɒp
Forms: form: tops
Etymology: From Middle English top, toppe, from Old English topp (“top, highest part; summit; crest; tassel, tuft; (spinning) top, ball; a tuft or ball at the highest point of anything”), from Proto-West Germanic *topp, from Proto-Germanic *tuppaz (“braid, pigtail, end”), of unknown ultimate origin.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Top (“top”), Cimbrian sòpf (“braid”), Dutch top (“top, summit, peak”), German Topp (“top of a mast”), Zopf (“braid, pigtail, plait, top”), Luxembourgish Zapp (“plait, tress”), Vilamovian cöp (“braid, plait”), Yiddish צאָפּ (tsop, “braid”), Danish top (“top”), Icelandic toppur (“top”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish topp (“top, peak, summit, tip”), Italian zuffa (“brawl”).
The sense of a spinning toy is separated from this, obscurely related to Dutch top and dop in this sense, against Standard Dutch tol, and French toupie having this sense.
Senses: examples: text: His kite got caught at the top of the tree.
text: 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,[…].
ref: 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
synonyms: peak
summit
overside
antonyms: bottom
base
underside
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
examples: text: We flipped the machine onto its top.
text: To mount the V8, I simply placed it on its top, and then prepped the mobo/CPU for installation (applied thermal compound).
ref: 2013 March 20, Dewayne Carel, “Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), retrieved 01 Oct 2017:
synonyms: peak
summit
overside
antonyms: bottom
base
underside
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
The part of something that is usually highest or uppermost.
qualifier: irrespective of present orientation
examples: text: Further weather information can be found at the top of your television screen.
text: Headings appear at the tops of pages.
synonyms: word: peak
word: summit
word: overside
word: head
english: of a page
translation: of a page
antonyms: word: bottom
word: base
word: underside
word: foot
english: of a page
translation: of a page
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
The uppermost part of a page, picture, viewing screen, etc.
examples: text: Put a top on the toothpaste tube or it will go bad.
synonyms: peak
summit
overside
cap
coverlid
antonyms: bottom
base
underside
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
A lid, cap, or cover of a container.
examples: text: I bought this top as it matches my jeans.
text: I like this pyjama top.
synonyms: peak
summit
overside
antonyms: bottom
base
underside
bottom
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
A garment worn to cover the torso.
synonyms: peak
summit
overside
antonyms: bottom
base
underside
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
A framework at the top of a ship's mast to which rigging is attached.
topics: ball-games
baseball
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
synonyms: peak
summit
overside
antonyms: bottom
base
underside
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
The first half of an inning, during which the home team fields and the visiting team bats.
examples: text: Like glauncing light of Phoebus brightest ray;
From top to toe no place appeared bare
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 39:
text: All the stored vengeances of Heaven fall / On her ungrateful top!
ref: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
synonyms: peak
summit
overside
antonyms: bottom
base
underside
glosses: The highest or uppermost part of something.
The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.
examples: text: The patio is at the top of my garden.
text: The shop is at the top of my street.
glosses: The near end of somewhere.
examples: text: The boy was amazed at how long the top would spin.
glosses: A child's spinning toy; a spinning top.
examples: text: to be the top of zealots
ref: 1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC:
glosses: Someone who is eminent.
The chief person; the most prominent one.
examples: text: to be at the top of one's class, or at the top of the school
text: And wears upon his baby brow the round / And top of sovereignty.
ref: c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
text: 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.
ref: 2011 September 29, Tom Rostance, “Stoke 2-1 Besiktas”, in BBC Sport:
glosses: Someone who is eminent.
The highest rank; the most honourable position; the utmost attainable place.
examples: text: the daily average price of packer and shipper purchases ranging between $14 and $16. Beginning with the middle of September prices moved sharply upward until a top of $18.25 was reached during the week of Sept. 25. From this high point prices moved downward sharply […]
ref: 1921, The Market Reporter, volumes 3-4, United States. Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates, page 22:
topics: business
finance
glosses: A peak price of a security during a trading period, before it begins a downward trend.
examples: text: As I went on doing s/m more and more, I found the idea of topping real attractive and so I started to do that. At this point in my life I'm playing top almost all the time.
ref: 1981 August 15, Nancy Wechsler, “Sadomasochism: Fears, Facts, Fantasies”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 5, page 8:
topics: BDSM
lifestyle
sexuality
synonyms: dom
dominant
domme
dominatrix
coordinate_terms: bottom
sub
glosses: A dominant partner in a sadomasochistic relationship or roleplay.
topics: BDSM
lifestyle
sexuality
synonyms: dom
dominant
domme
dominatrix
coordinate_terms: bottom
sub
glosses: A dominant partner in a sadomasochistic relationship or roleplay.
A dominant partner in a sexual relationship.
examples: text: I prefer being a top, and my boyfriend prefers being a bottom.
text: Jean-Alain is a man of great physical strength, and Jesse is sure he is quite a handful for his tops.
ref: 2020, Paul Mendez, Rainbow Milk, Dialogue Books (2021), page 336:
synonyms: pitcher
coordinate_terms: bottom
qualifier: LGBTQ slang
glosses: A person who penetrates or has a preference for penetrating during intercourse.
examples: text: Running up a check, I'ma drop the top
Baby gimme neck, you know I want some top
You ain't tryna fuck, then baby don't just stop
ref: 2016 November 18, J $tash, “Guap”, in No More Distractions:
text: I get some top in my coupe […]
Look at yo bitch she gon' choose
 She gon' give me top (on my block Avenue)
ref: 2017, Juice Wrld, “2017 Freestyle”, in Unreleased Songs:
text: I just bought a new Ferrari off the lot,
 said she a virgin but she wanna give me top,
 she need some money so she call my phone a lot,
 I picked it up and then I told that bitch to stop.
ref: 2017, T-Wayne, “Double Standards” (track 2, 0:42–0:55 from the start), in Forever Rickey:
text: Man chingy chingy on opps,
catch ringy ringy, want lots
And clingy, clingy, got dots
She is a bad b, she gives tops
ref: 2017 December 22, “No Hook”, performed by 61 – Cee Drilla x Beans x Nz x Ruger, 0:53–1:00:
text: His bitch gave me some top, and now he wanna send me threats
ref: 2019 March 19, Nav, “Price on My Head”, in Bad Habits:
text: I like gettin' top (Ooh), I like drivin' coupes […]
Yeah I got Erza Scarlet tryna fuck (Yeah, ooh)
Gettin' top and watching Crunchyroll
ref: 2019 November 20, Oliver Francis, “I Like”, in The Adventures Of Oliver Francis:
text: Just got some top from this stripper bitch, she from Kankakee
ref: 2020 February 21, King Von, “Took Her to the O”, in Levon James:
text: She asked to give me some top and I’m down
Head feeling loose ‘cos I’m lit off the brown
ref: 2020 August 7, DON RCS, “Top Down”:
text: I’m in a wraith with a thot, she gon’ give me some top, cause my music a bop, aye
ref: 2020 September 11, Ron Suno, “Wraith” ft. DDG, chorus first time 0:24–0:27:
synonyms: word: brain
word: dome
word: head
word: mouth music
qualifier: African-American Vernacular
glosses: Fellatio; a blowjob.
topics: natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
hypernyms: flavor
glosses: A top quark.
examples: June 18 1714, Alexander Pope, letter to Jonathan Swift
The top of my own ambition is to contribute to that work.
glosses: The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.
topics: arts
crafts
hobbies
lifestyle
nautical
ropemaking
transport
glosses: 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.
examples: text: She sang at the top of her voice.
text: 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.
ref: 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
qualifier: sound
glosses: Highest pitch or loudest volume.
examples: text: Most cotton is sold as top, requiring only predrafting prior to spinning.
ref: 2014, W. J. Johnson, Yarn Works: How to Spin, Dye, and Knit Your Own Yarn, page 32:
qualifier: wool manufacture
glosses: A bundle or ball of slivers of combed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.
examples: text: Hee was upon the top of his marriage with Magdalaine.
ref: 1603, Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes, […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
qualifier: except in one sense of phrase on top of
glosses: Eve; verge; point.
glosses: The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface.
examples: text: There was one pair of boots in particular — a jolly, good-tempered, hearty-looking, pair of tops, that excited our warmest regard
ref: 1836, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC:
glosses: Topboots.
topics: ball-games
billiards
games
golf
hobbies
lifestyle
racquet-sports
sports
glosses: A stroke on the top of the ball.
examples: text: What is wanted is just the reverse - i.e top or overspin, which causes the ball to revolve in the direction in which it is going.
ref: 1886, E.T.Sachs, The Boys Own Annual: Lawn-Tennis of the Present, volume 9, page 778:
topics: ball-games
billiards
games
golf
hobbies
lifestyle
racquet-sports
sports
glosses: A forward spin given to the ball by hitting it on or near the top; topspin.
examples: text: […] but with only three other tables on the patio apart from myself – two three-tops and a five-top – it's hard to imagine what the holdup is.
ref: 2014, Jamey Glasnovic, Lost and Found: Adrift in the Canadian Rockies, →ISBN, page 144:
text: It is uncanny how a server can stand in front of a ten top, without the safety net of pen and paper, and remember every item ordered by each guest including salads, […]
ref: 2015, Jeff Benjamin, Front of the House: Restaurant Manners, Misbehaviors & Secrets, →ISBN:
qualifier: preceded by a number
glosses: (A table at which there is, or which has enough seats for) a group of a specified number of people eating at a restaurant.
raw_tags: in restaurants
examples: text: My first topswarm came off on the 25th June, and a second top on the day following; both were put into skeps of one size, and appeared to be equal as regards the number of Bees.
ref: 1866, The Scottish Gardener, page 397:
glosses: Ellipsis of topswarm.
topics: government
military
politics
war
glosses: The First Sergeant or Master Sergeant (U.S. Marine Corps), senior enlisted man at company level.
glosses: a shoot (eaten as a vegetable).
Derived terms: at the top of one's bent
at the top of one's game
at the top of one's lungs
at the top of one's voice
at the top of the heap
at the top of the pile
at the top of the tree
Bank Top
Benham's top
big top
bikini top
blacktop
blow one's top
bottle top
bunchy top
camote tops
carrot top
cherrytop
come out on top
crop top
curly top
desktop
double top
Dowlais Top
drop top
eight-top
flattop
flip-top
four-top
the top
top to bottom
top to toe
gold top
gold-top milk
grass top
grass tops
green top
halter top
high-top
hilltop
hi-top
hot top
housetop
humming top
it's lonely at the top
kamote tops
lager top
laptop
loop-top
mountaintop
muffin top
off the top of one's dome
off the top of one's head
old top
one's elevator doesn't go all the way to the top
on top
on top of
on top of the world
open-top
open-top bus
out-top
over the top
palmtop
peasant top
pegtop
peg-top trousers
pillowtop
pop-top
power top
pretty please with sugar on top
race to the top
red top
roll-top
rooftop
round-top
run like a top
screw top
service top
set top box
silver top
sit-on-top
six-top
sleep like a top
soft top
spin-top
stovetop
strappy top
tabletop
take it from the top
tank top
Targa top
tippe top
tiptop
top aerator
top and but
top and tail
top-block
top-chain
top-down
top-drain
top-dress
top drop
top-flag
top fruit
top-hamper
top-heavy
top-hole
top kill
topless
top loader
top minnow
top of mind
top of the hour
top of the line
top of the morning
top of the shop
topping
top-rope
top round
tops-and-bottoms
top-selling
top-shaped
topshell
top-slicing
top snail
top speed
top surgeon
top surgery
top-to-bottom
top to tail
to the top of one's bent
treetop
T-top
tube top
turban-top
turnip tops
two-top
up top
view from the top
wooden-top
wop top
wrist-top