top

Definitions

1. 1.(Rope Making) 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.
2. 2.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. The star that bids the shepherd fold, Now the top of heaven doth hold. Milton.
3. 3.The utmost degree; the acme; the summit. The top of my ambition is to contribute to that work. Pope.
4. 4.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. And wears upon hisbaby brow the round And top of sovereignty. Shak.
5. 5.The chief person; the most prominent one. Other . . . aspired to be the top of zealots. Milton.
6. 6.The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head. "From top to toe" Spenser. All the stored vengeance of Heaven fall On her ungrateful top ! Shak.
7. 7.The head, or upper part, of a plant. The buds . . . are called heads, or tops, as cabbageheads. I. Watts.
8. 8.(Naut.) 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.
9. 9.(Wool Manuf.) A bundle or ball of slivers of comkbed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.
10. 10.Eve; verge; point. [R.] "He was upon the top of his marriage with Magdaleine." Knolles.
11. 11.The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface. Knight.
12. 12.pl. Top-boots. [Slang] Dickens. Note: 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. 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.
13. 13.To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains. Derham.
14. 14.To predominate; as, topping passions. "Influenced by topping uneasiness." Locke.
15. 15.To excel; to rise above others. But write thy, and top. Dryden.
16. 16.To cover on the top; to tip; to cap; -- chiefly used in the past participle. Like moving mountains topped with snow. Waller. A mount Of alabaster, topped with golden spires. Milton.
17. 17.To rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass. Topping all others in boasting. Shak. Edmund the base shall top the legitimate. Shak.
18. 18.To rise to the top of; to go over the top of. But wind about till thou hast topped the hill. Denham.
19. 19.To take off the or upper part of; to crop. Top your rose trees a little with your knife. Evelyn.
20. 20.To perform eminently, or better than before. From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go universally beyond them. Jeffrey.
21. 21.(Naut.) To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other. To top off, 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.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "top" mean?
• What is another word for "top"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is top.

• What is 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 called?
• What is the utmost degree; the acme; the summit. The top of my ambition is to contribute to that work. Pope called?
• What is the chief person; the most prominent one. Other . . . aspired to be the top of zealots. Milton called?
• What is the crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head. "From top to toe" Spenser. All the stored vengeance of Heaven fall On her ungrateful top ! Shak called?
• What is the head, or upper part, of a plant. The buds . . . are called heads, or tops, as cabbageheads. I. Watts called?
• What is a bundle or ball of slivers of comkbed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out called?
• What is eve; verge; point. [R.] "He was upon the top of his marriage with Magdaleine." Knolles called?
• What is the part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface. Knight called?
• What is to rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains. Derham called?
• What is to predominate; as, topping passions. "Influenced by topping uneasiness." Locke called?
• What is to excel; to rise above others. But write thy, and top. Dryden called?
• What is to cover on the top; to tip; to cap; -- chiefly used in the past participle. Like moving mountains topped with snow. Waller. A mount Of alabaster, topped with golden spires. Milton called?
• What is to rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass. Topping all others in boasting. Shak. Edmund the base shall top the legitimate. Shak called?
• What is to rise to the top of; to go over the top of. But wind about till thou hast topped the hill. Denham called?
• What is to take off the or upper part of; to crop. Top your rose trees a little with your knife. Evelyn called?
• What is to perform eminently, or better than before. From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go universally beyond them. Jeffrey called?