- the highest or loftiest point or part of anything on a slope; apex; summit: It's two more miles to the top of the mountain.She’s installed a new childproof gate at the top of the stairs.
- the uppermost or upper part, surface, etc., of anything: She put her sweaters in a box on the top of the wardrobe.The railing is wrought iron with hammered scrollwork along the top.
- tops,
- the part of a plant that grows above ground, especially of an edible root: They make a pesto with carrot tops rather than basil.
- the small twigs, branches, or shoots of plants: Until these logs are stripped of their tops, you’ll have a hard time selling them for firewood.
- the part of anything that is first or foremost; beginning: Let's go over it from the top again.
- the highest or leading place, position, rank, etc.: This quarter she's been at the top of the class.
- the highest point, pitch, or degree: You have to talk at the top of your voice to be heard around here.
- a person or thing that occupies the highest or leading position: There's only a handful of musicians producing new work in this genre, and she's the top.
- the best or choicest part: To me, this park is the top of all creation.
- a covering or lid, as of a container or vehicle: Put the top on the pot before the sauce overthickens.
- any of various outer garments for the upper body, such as a blouse, shirt, or sweater: They're having a sale on cotton tops and shorts.
- the head.
- the farthest point of something relative to a person's position or line of sight: Their shop's at the top of the street.
- the highest available gear in an automobile; top gear: The car accelerates OK, but power drops off suddenly if I put it into top.
- a platform surrounding the head of a lower mast on a ship, and serving as a foothold, a means of extending the upper rigging, etc.
- the part of a mixture under distillation that volatilizes first.
- Bridge.
- the best card of a suit in a player's hand.
- (in duplicate bridge) the best score on a hand.
- Sports.
- a stroke that hits the ball above its center.
- the forward spin given to the ball by such a stroke.
- Baseball.
- the first half of an inning.
- the first three batters in the batting order.
- Slang.
- (in the LGBTQ community) a person who prefers to take or is currently taking a penetrative or giving role in a particular sexual act, especially in anal intercourse.
- (especially in BDSM) a person who prefers to take or is currently taking a dominant role in a sexual relationship.
- Textiles.
- a cluster of textile fibers, especially tow, put on a distaff for spinning into yarn.
- a strand of the long wool fibers in sliver form, separated from the noil by combing and wound into a large ball.
- a similar strand of rayon or other synthetic fiber.
- crown (def. 27).
- the most outstanding person or thing in ability, favor, etc.: As a friend, she's the tops.If you like small plates and excellent service, this place is tops.
- pertaining to, situated at, or forming the top; highest; uppermost; upper: The chocolate chips are on the top shelf.
- highest in degree; greatest: We pay top prices for scrap iron.
- foremost, chief, or principal: She outshone seven other competitors to win top honors in the competition.
- to furnish with an upper part or side; put a top on: The builders would top the pyramid with a solid granite capstone covered in gold.
- to be at or constitute the highest or best part of: The song topped the charts for three weeks straight.
- to reach the highest or best part of: This German city often tops polls of the most livable city on the planet.
- to rise above: The sun had topped the horizon.
- to exceed in height, amount, number, etc.: The service just recently topped its competitors by 1,000 customers.
- to surpass, excel, or outdo: That tops everything.
- (in spoken dialogue) to reply in a voice of greater volume or higher pitch: King Henry must top the crowd noises in his St. Crispin's Day speech.
- to surmount with something specified: to top a sundae with whipped cream.
- to remove the top of; crop; prune: Always consult a certified arborist before topping a tree.
- to get or leap over the top of (a fence, barrier, etc.): She topped the stone wall in her rush to get to the mare giving birth.
- to distill off only the most volatile part of (a mixture).
- Sports.
- to strike (the ball) above its center, giving it a forward spin.
- to make (a stroke) by hitting the ball in this manner.
- top-dress.
- Slang.
- (in the LGBTQ community) to do a particular sexual act to (a partner), especially anal intercourse.
- (especially in BDSM) to dominate (a sexual partner).
- to have sexual intercourse with (a woman).
- Slang.
- (in the LGBTQ community) to take a penetrative or giving role in a particular sexual act, especially in anal intercourse.
- (especially in BDSM) to take a dominant role in a sexual relationship or encounter.
- top off,
- to climax or complete, especially in an exceptional manner; finish: They topped off the evening with a ferryboat ride at midnight.
- to fill (a partly full container) completely: to top off a gas tank.
- top out,
- to finish the top of (a structure).
- to reach the highest level.
- blow one's top, Informal.
- to become enraged; lose one's temper: She blows her top at the slightest criticism.
- to go mad; become insane: He must have blown his top to make such a fool of himself.
- head (def. 78).
- successful; victorious; dominant: Our team stayed on top throughout the game.After a rough few years, it’s good to see him back on top again.
- on top of,
- over or upon: Just put that box of tissues on top of the fridge.
- in addition to; over and above: There will be sales tax on top of that price, of course.
- close upon; following upon: Gale winds came on top of the floods.
- in complete control: on top of the problem.
- on top of the world,
- successful.
- elated: The success made her feel on top of the world.
- over the top,
- over the top of the parapet before a trench, as in issuing to charge against the enemy.
- surpassing a goal, quota, or limit.
- beyond normal limits; outrageously extreme or excessive: His humor is so over the top that it’s embarrassing.
- to kill oneself.
- a toy, often inversely conical, with a point on which it is made to spin.
- to sleep soundly: After a day of hiking and swimming we slept like tops.
- variant of topo- before a vowel: toponym.
- the highest or uppermost part of anything
- the most important or successful position
- the part of a plant that is above ground
- a thing that forms or covers the uppermost part of anything, esp a lid or cap
- the highest degree or point
- the most important person
- the best or finest part of anything
- the loudest or highest pitch (esp in the phrase top of one's voice)
- the beginning
- short for top gear
- the highest card of a suit in a player's hand
- sport
- a stroke that hits the ball above its centre
- short for topspin
- a platform around the head of a lower mast of a sailing vessel, the edges of which serve to extend the topmast shrouds
- the part of a volatile liquid mixture that distils first
- a garment, esp for a woman, that extends from the shoulders to the waist or hips
- the high-frequency content of an audio signal
- (as modifier)
- to lose one's temper
- on top of
- in addition to
- in complete control of (a difficult situation, job, etc)
- with no previous preparation; extempore
- over the top
- over the parapet or leading edge of a trench
- over the limit; excessive(ly); lacking restraint or a sense of proportion
- a morning greeting regarded as characteristic of Irishmen
- of, relating to, serving as, or situated on the top
- excellent
- to form a top on (something)
- to remove the top of or from
- to reach or pass the top of
- to be at the top of
- to exceed or surpass
- to kill
- (also intr) sport
- to hit (a ball) above the centre
- to make (a stroke) by hitting the ball in this way
- to distil off (the most volatile part) from a liquid mixture
- to add other colorants to (a dye) in order to modify the shade produced
- top and tail
- to trim off the ends of (fruit or vegetables) before cooking them
- to wash a baby's face and bottom without immersion in a bath
- a toy that is spun on its pointed base by a flick of the fingers, by pushing a handle at the top up and down, etc
- anything that spins or whirls around
- to sleep very soundly
- a variant of topo-