I. top 1 S1 W2 /tɒp $ tɑːp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ top , ↑ topless , ↑ topmost ; noun : ↑ top , ↑ topping ; verb : ↑ top ; adverb : ↑ tops ]
[ Sense 1-25: Language: Old English ; Origin: topp ]
[ Sense 26-27: Date: 1000-1100 ; Origin: Origin unknown ]
1 . HIGHEST PART the highest part of something OPP bottom
top of
The tops of the mountains were still covered with snow.
She could only just see over the tops of their heads.
at the top (of) something
He was standing at the top of the stairs.
We’ll sit down once we’re at the top.
Write your name at the top of the page.
to the top (of) something
Stop and wait for us when you get to the top of the slope.
I filled the glass right to the top.
The book I wanted was at the very top of the pile.
cliff top/mountaintop/hilltop/treetop
We could just see the white cliff tops in the distance.
2 . UPPER SURFACE the flat upper surface of an object:
a low wooden table with a glass top
top of
We walked along the top of the ancient city walls.
on (the) top of something
She put the papers down on the top of the piano.
Her fingers drummed on the table top.
3 . BEST POSITION the top the best, most successful, or most important position in an organization, company, or profession OPP bottom
the top of
He has reached the top of his profession.
at the top (of something)
It’s the people at the top who make the decisions.
to the top (of something)
All young footballers dream of making it to the top.
the groups that are currently at the top of the tree (=the highest position in a profession) in the pop world
4 . COVER something that you put on or over an object to cover it, protect it, or prevent liquid coming out of it:
I can’t get the top off the jar.
You’ve left the top off the toothpaste again!
Can you put the top back on the bottle when you’ve finished with it?
bottle top/pen top etc
Has anyone seen my pen top?
5 . CLOTHES a piece of clothing that you wear on the upper part of your body:
She was wearing a stripy knitted top.
a skirt with a matching top
a bikini top
I can’t find my pyjama top.
6 . be (at the) top of the list/agenda something that is at the top of a list will be dealt with or discussed first:
Europe is once again at the top of the political agenda.
7 . on top
a) on the highest part or surface of something:
The cake was a bit burnt on top.
a high roof with a chimney on top
b) on the highest part of your head:
Can you cut it quite short on top, please.
c) winning in a game or competition:
After the first set, the Australian was comfortably on top.
8 . on top of something
a) on the highest surface of something:
There should be an envelope on top of the fridge.
b) in complete control of a situation:
Don’t worry; I’m back on top of things now.
I should be more on top of my work next week.
c) if something bad happens to you on top of something else, it happens when you have other problems:
On top of everything else, I now have to go to work next Saturday!
9 . one on top of the other ( also on top of one another ) in a pile:
We stacked the crates one on top of the other.
10 . on top of somebody if something dangerous or threatening is on top of you, it is very near you:
The truck was almost on top of us.
11 . get on top of somebody if your work or a problem gets on top of you, it begins to make you feel unhappy and upset:
Things are starting to get on top of him.
12 . come out on top to win a difficult struggle or argument, especially one that has continued for a long time:
It’s difficult to predict who will come out on top.
13 . on top of the world informal extremely happy:
When I heard she’d been released I felt on top of the world!
14 . PLANT the part of a fruit or vegetable where it was attached to the plant, or the leaves of a plant whose root you can eat:
Cut the tops off the tomatoes.
I’ve found a recipe for beetroot tops.
15 . STREET/FIELD ETC the part of the street or of a piece of land that is the furthest away from you:
I waited at the top of East Street.
16 . the top of the milk British English the cream that rises to the top of a bottle of milk
17 . the top of the table the part of a long dinner table where the most important people sit
18 . off the top of your head informal if you say something off the top of your head, you say it immediately, without thinking carefully about it or checking the facts:
Just off the top of my head, I’d say there were about 50.
19 . sing/shout at the top of your voice to sing or shout as loudly as you can:
Angela ran out of the house, shouting at the top of her voice.
20 . be at the top of your game ( also be on top of your game ) to be doing your job, especially playing a sport, very well
21 . from the top spoken an expression meaning from the beginning, used especially in the theatre:
Right, let’s take it from the top once more.
22 . from top to bottom if you clean or search somewhere from top to bottom, you do it very thoroughly:
The whole house needs cleaning from top to bottom.
23 . from top to toe if a person is dressed or covered in something from top to toe, they are completely dressed or covered in it:
They were covered in mud from top to toe.
24 . the top and bottom of it British English spoken the general result or meaning of a situation, expressed in a few words:
He’s trying to embarrass you, that’s the top and bottom of it.
25 . not have much up top British English spoken to be not very intelligent:
Poor Nigel, he doesn’t have very much up top.
26 . tops spoken used after a number to say that it is the highest possible amount of money you will get:
It’ll cost you £200, £250 tops.
27 . TOY a child’s toy that spins around on its point when you twist it
28 . spin like a top to spin or turn round very quickly:
The impact of the blow sent me spinning like a top.
II. top 2 S1 W1 BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ top , ↑ topless , ↑ topmost ; noun : ↑ top , ↑ topping ; verb : ↑ top ; adverb : ↑ tops ]
1 . HIGHEST [only before noun] nearest to the top of something OPP bottom :
We have a flat on the top floor of the building.
the top button of his shirt
I managed to scrape off the top layer of paint.
I found the letter in the top drawer of his desk.
2 . BEST [usually before noun] best or most successful:
our top tennis players
a top New York salon
one of the world’s top engineering companies
people in top jobs
She got top marks.
The top score was 72.
3 . WINNING winning in a game or competition
top of
Barcelona remain top of the league after beating Real Madrid.
Despite losing last night, Manchester United are still top (=the highest in a list of clubs in a competition) .
4 . top left/right/centre expressions meaning the picture at the top of a page on the left or right or in the centre, used in magazines and newspapers:
Top right: silk blouse £195 from Harrods.
5 . top speed the fastest speed a vehicle can move at:
We tore down the motorway at top speed.
a sports car with a top speed of 140 miles per hour
6 . top priority the thing that you think is most important:
Education is this government’s top priority.
7 . GOOD British English spoken informal very good:
Clive’s a top bloke.
8 . top copy British English a letter or document from which copies can be made
III. top 3 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle topped , present participle topping ) [transitive]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ top , ↑ topless , ↑ topmost ; noun : ↑ top , ↑ topping ; verb : ↑ top ; adverb : ↑ tops ]
1 . BE HIGHER to be higher than a particular amount:
Their profits have reportedly topped £1,000,000 this year.
2 . BE MOST SUCCESSFUL to be in the highest position in a list because you are the most successful:
The Tower of London tops the list of London’s most popular tourist attractions.
the team that has topped the Premiership for the last three seasons
In 1998 the group topped the charts with the song ‘Don’t Stop Loving Me’.
3 . DO BETTER if you top something, you do something that is better than it:
He topped his previous best performance, coming second in the 100 metres.
4 . top an offer/a bid etc to offer more money than someone else:
A rival company topped our offer by $5 million.
5 . be topped by something to have something on top:
The roof was topped by a chimney.
a hill topped by pine trees
6 . be topped (off) with something if food is topped with something, it has that thing on it or over the top of it:
a strawberry tart topped with whipped cream
The cake can be topped off with fresh fruit.
7 . to top it all spoken in addition to other bad things that have happened to you:
To top it all I lost my job.
8 . top that spoken used when you are asking someone if they have done something more exciting or successful than you:
Well, I’ve been asked to appear on a TV show later this year, so top that!
9 . top and tail British English to cut the top and bottom off a piece of fruit or a vegetable
10 . top yourself British English informal to kill yourself deliberately
11 . REACH THE TOP literary if you top a hill, you reach the top of it:
We topped the hill and looked down towards the valley below us.
top something ↔ off phrasal verb
to complete something successfully by doing one last thing:
Let’s top off the evening with a drink.
top out phrasal verb
if something such as a price that is increasing tops out, it reaches its highest point and stops rising:
Do you think interest rates have topped out now?
top something/somebody ↔ up phrasal verb especially British English
1 . to add more liquid to a container that is partly full:
I’ll just top up the coffee pot.
2 . to put more drink in someone’s glass or cup after they have drunk some:
Can I top you up?
3 . to increase the level of something slightly so as to bring it back to the level you want:
He had to do extra jobs at the weekend to top up his income.
⇨ ↑ top-up