GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Found 4 definitions
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Top , n. [CF. OD. dop, top, OHG., MNG., & dial. G. topf; perhaps akin to G. topf a pot.]
- 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.1913 Webster
- (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.1913 Webster
- 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.
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Top , n. [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.]
- 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.1913 Webster
The star that bids the shepherd fold,
Now the top of heaven doth hold.Milton.1913 Webster - The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.1913 Webster
The top of my ambition is to contribute to that work.
Pope.1913 Webster - 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.1913 Webster
And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of sovereignty.Shak.1913 Webster - The chief person; the most prominent one.1913 Webster
Other . . . aspired to be the top of zealots.
Milton.1913 Webster - The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head. “From top to toe”Spenser.1913 Webster
All the stored vengeance of Heaven fall
On her ungrateful top !Shak.1913 Webster - The head, or upper part, of a plant.1913 Webster
The buds . . . are called heads, or tops, as cabbageheads.
I. Watts.1913 Webster - (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.1913 Webster
- (Wool Manuf.) A bundle or ball of slivers of comkbed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.1913 Webster
- Eve; verge; point. [R.] “He was upon the top of his marriage with Magdaleine.”Knolles.1913 Webster
- The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface.Knight.1913 Webster
- pl. Top-boots. [Slang]Dickens.1913 Webster
- (Golf) (a) A stroke on the top of the ball. (b) A forward spin given to the ball by hitting it on or near the top.Webster 1913 Suppl.
☞ 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.
1913 WebsterTop 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 (Zool.), a small viviparous fresh-water fish (Gambusia patruelis) abundant in the Southern United States. Also applied to other similar species. -- From top to toe, from head to foot; altogether.
1913 Webster
- 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.
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Top, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Topped ; p. pr. & vb. n. Topping.]
- To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains.Derham.1913 Webster
- To predominate; as, topping passions. “Influenced by topping uneasiness.” Locke.1913 Webster
- To excel; to rise above others.1913 Webster
But write thy, and top.
Dryden.1913 Webster - (Golf) To strike a ball above the center.Webster 1913 Suppl.
- (Naut.) To rise at one end, as a yard; -- usually with up.Webster 1913 Suppl.
- To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains.
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Top, v. t.
- To cover on the top; to tip; to cap; -- chiefly used in the past participle.1913 Webster
Like moving mountains topped with snow.
Waller.1913 WebsterA mount
Of alabaster, topped with golden spires.Milton.1913 Webster - To rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass.1913 Webster
Topping all others in boasting.
Shak.1913 WebsterEdmund the base shall top the legitimate.
Shak.1913 Webster - To rise to the top of; to go over the top of.1913 Webster
But wind about till thou hast topped the hill.
Denham.1913 Webster - To take off the or upper part of; to crop.1913 Webster
Top your rose trees a little with your knife.
Evelyn.1913 Webster - To perform eminently, or better than before.1913 Webster
From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go universally beyond them.
Jeffrey.1913 Webster - (Naut.) To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.1913 Webster
- (Dyeing) To cover with another dye; as, to top aniline black with methyl violet to prevent greening and crocking.Webster 1913 Suppl.
- To put a stiffening piece or back on (a saw blade).Webster 1913 Suppl.
- To arrange, as fruit, with the best on top. [Cant]Webster 1913 Suppl.
- To strike the top of, as a wall, with the hind feet, in jumping, so as to gain new impetus; -- said of a horse.Webster 1913 Suppl.
- To improve (domestic animals, esp. sheep) by crossing certain individuals or breeds with other superior.Webster 1913 Suppl.
- (Naut.) To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.Webster 1913 Suppl.
- To cut, break, or otherwise take off the top of (a steel ingot) to remove unsound metal.Webster 1913 Suppl.
- (Golf) To strike (the ball) above the center; also, to make (as a stroke) by hitting the ball in this way.Webster 1913 Suppl.
To top off, (a) 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. (b) to completely fill (an almost full tank) by adding more of the liquid it already contains.
1913 Webster+PJC
- To cover on the top; to tip; to cap; -- chiefly used in the past participle.