top

/tɑp/

/tɒp/
IPA guide

Other forms: tops; topped; topping

The highest or uppermost part of something is its top, like the top rung of a ladder or the top bunk of a bunkbed.

A top is also a lid, like the top of a soda bottle, an upper rank, like the top position at a law firm, and a child's spinning toy. If you yell at the top of your voice, you use the loudest possible volume. As a verb, top can mean "to beat in a competition," like when you top all of the other contestants in the spelling bee, or "to provide with a topping," like when you top your pie with whipped cream. Your band director might command, "From the top!" meaning "Play it again, from the beginning!"

Definitions of top
  1. noun
    the upper part of anything
    “the mower cuts off the tops of the grass”
    “the title should be written at the top of the first page”
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    cap, capital, chapiter
    the upper part of a column that supports the entablature
    masthead
    the head or top of a mast
    crown
    the part of a tooth above the gum that is covered with enamel
    head
    the top of something
    crown, treetop
    the upper branches and leaves of a tree or other plant
    capitulum
    an arrangement of leafy branches forming the top or head of a tree
    type of:
    part, region
    the extended spatial location of something
  2. noun
    the highest or uppermost side of anything
    “put your books on top of the desk”
    “only the top side of the box was painted”
    synonyms: top side, upper side, upside
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    crest, crown
    the center of a cambered road
    poll
    the part of the head between the ears
    crown, pate, poll
    the top of the head
    desktop
    the top of a desk
    rooftop
    the top of a (usually flat) roof
    tiptop
    the extreme top or summit
    tonsure
    the shaved crown of a monk's or priest's head
    type of:
    face, side
    a surface forming part of the outside of an object
  3. noun
    the top or extreme point of something (usually a mountain or hill)
    synonyms: crest, crown, peak, summit, tip
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    types:
    brow, hilltop
    the peak of a hill
    pinnacle
    a lofty peak
    mountain peak
    the summit of a mountain
    type of:
    place, spot, topographic point
    a point located with respect to surface features of some region
  4. noun
    covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container)
    “he removed the top of the carton”
    “he couldn't get the top off of the bottle”
    synonyms: cover
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    cap
    a top (as for a bottle)
    lid
    a movable top or cover (hinged or separate) for closing the opening at the top of a box, chest, jar, pan, etc.
    manhole cover
    a flush iron cover for a manhole (as in a street)
    screwtop
    the top of a container that must be screwed off and on
    bottlecap
    a cap that seals a bottle
    nipple
    a flexible cap on a baby's feeding bottle or pacifier
    radiator cap
    cap on the opening in the top of a radiator through which a coolant liquid can be added
    trunk lid
    hinged lid for a trunk
    type of:
    covering
    an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it)
  5. noun
    platform surrounding the head of a lower mast
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    type of:
    platform
    a raised horizontal surface
  6. noun
    a garment (especially for women) that extends from the shoulders to the waist or hips
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    blouse
    a top worn by women
    bodice
    part of a dress above the waist
    bustier
    a close-fitting and strapless top without sleeves that is worn by women either as lingerie or for evening dress
    halter
    a top that fastens behind the back and neck leaving the back and arms uncovered
    garibaldi
    a loose high-necked blouse with long sleeves; styled after the red flannel shirts worn by Garibaldi's soldiers
    guimpe
    a short blouse with sleeves that is worn under a jumper or pinafore dress
    middy, middy blouse
    blouse with a sailor collar
    shirtwaist, shirtwaister
    a blouse with buttons down the front
    type of:
    woman's clothing
    clothing that is designed for women to wear
  7. adjective
    situated at the top or highest position
    “the top shelf”
    synonyms:
    best
    (superlative of `good') having the most positive qualities
    high
    (literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like `knee-high')
    apical
    situated at an apex
    crowning
    forming or providing a crown or summit
    topmost, upmost, uppermost
    at or nearest to the top
    upper
    the topmost one of two
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    antonyms:
    bottom
    situated at the bottom or lowest position
    side
    located on a side
    bottommost, lowermost, nethermost
    farthest down
    inferior
    lower than a given reference point
    nether
    lower
    broadside
    toward a full side
    lateral, sidelong
    situated at or extending to the side
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  8. verb
    provide with a top or finish the top (of a structure)
    “the towers were topped with conical roofs”
    synonyms: top out
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    type of:
    furnish, provide, render, supply
    give something useful or necessary to
  9. verb
    be at the top of or constitute the top or highest point
    “A star tops the Christmas Tree”
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    type of:
    lie
    be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
  10. verb
    reach or ascend the top of
    “The hikers topped the mountain just before noon”
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    type of:
    arrive at, attain, gain, hit, make, reach
    reach a destination, either real or abstract
  11. verb
    cut the top off
    “top trees and bushes”
    synonyms: pinch
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    tail
    remove the stalk of fruits or berries
    type of:
    clip, crop, cut back, dress, lop, prune, snip, trim
    cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of
  12. verb
    strike (the top part of a ball in golf, baseball, or pool) giving it a forward spin
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    type of:
    hit
    cause to move by striking
  13. verb
    pass by, over, or under without making contact
    synonyms: clear
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    types:
    hop
    jump across
    type of:
    overhaul, overtake, pass
    travel past
  14. noun
    the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
    “at the top of his profession”
    synonyms: acme, elevation, height, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, superlative, tiptop, zenith
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    type of:
    degree, level, point, stage
    a specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process
  15. noun
    the greatest possible intensity
    “he screamed at the top of his lungs”
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    type of:
    intensity, intensiveness
    high level or degree; the property of being intense
  16. verb
    be ahead of others; be the first
    “she topped her class every year”
    synonyms: lead
  17. verb
    be superior or better than some standard
    “She topped her performance of last year”
    synonyms: exceed, go past, overstep, pass, transcend
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    type of:
    excel, stand out, surpass
    distinguish oneself
  18. verb
    be the culminating event
    synonyms: crown
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    type of:
    climax, culminate
    end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage
  19. verb
    finish up or conclude
    synonyms: top off
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    type of:
    complete, finish
    come or bring to a finish or an end
  20. noun
    the first half of an inning; while the visiting team is at bat
    “a relief pitcher took over in the top of the fifth”
    synonyms: top of the inning
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    antonyms:
    bottom, bottom of the inning
    the second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat
    type of:
    bout, round, turn
    (sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
  21. noun
    a canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance
    synonyms: big top, circus tent, round top
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    type of:
    canvas, canvas tent, canvass
    a tent made of canvas fabric
  22. noun
    a conical child's plaything tapering to a steel point on which it can be made to spin
    “he got a bright red top and string for his birthday”
    synonyms: spinning top, teetotum, whirligig
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    humming top
    a top that makes a humming noise as it spins
    peg top
    a pear-shaped top made of wood with a metal center pin
    whip top, whipping top
    a top that is spun by whipping
    dreidel
    a four-sided top used in a game traditionally played during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah
    type of:
    plaything, toy
    an artifact designed to be played with
Pronunciation
US

/tɑp/
UK

/tɒp/
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