Category:Top

Top, n. Etym: [cf. Od. dop, top, ohg., Mng., & dial. G. topf; perhaps Akin to g. topf a pot.]

1. 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.

2. (rope making)

Defn: 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.

Top Top, n. Etym: [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.]

1. 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.

2. The utmost degree; the acme; the summit. The top of my ambition is to contribute to that work. Pope.

3. 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.

4. The chief person; the most prominent one. Other. . . aspired to be the top of zealots. Milton.

5. 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.

6. The head, or upper part, of a plant. The buds. . . are called heads, or tops, as cabbageheads. I. Watts.

7. (naut.)

Defn: 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.

8. (wool manuf.)

Defn: a bundle or ball of slivers of comkbed wool, from which the Noils, or dust, have been taken out.

9. Eve; verge; point. [r.] "he was upon the top of his marriage with Magdaleine." Knolles.

10. The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and The table, or flat upper surface. Knight.

11. pl.

Defn: 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.

Top Top, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Topped; p. pr. & vb. n. Topping.]

1. To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and Topping mountains. Derham.

2. To predominate; as, topping passions. "influenced by topping Uneasiness." Locke.

3. To excel; to rise above others. But write thy, and top. Dryden.

Top Top, v. t.

1. 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.

2. To rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass. Topping all others in boasting. Shak. Edmund the base shall top the legitimate. Shak.

3. To rise to the top of; to go over the top of. But wind about till thou hast topped the hill. Denham.

4. To take off the or upper part of; to crop. Top your rose trees a little with your knife. Evelyn.

5. To perform eminently, or better than before. From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go Universally beyond them. Jeffrey.

6. (naut.)

Defn: 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.